XMen: Dawn of Destruction
by hip-hoppa12
Summary: Takes place a year after X2. A new batch of students is enrolled at the Institute as an anti-mutant gang selects it as their next target and Magneto forms a new Brotherhood hell-bent on a human-free planet.
1. Student File

X-Men  
  
"Dawn of Destruction"  
  
A/n: My first X-men fic. This is just the cast of new students that will be attending the Xavier Institute for the Gifted. A lot of the names below are from the Marvel Universe, but some I made up. The ones with stars next to the names are my own creations.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men the movie or any X-men characters at that. They belong to Marvel and Marvel belongs to Stan Lee-so don't sue.  
Name: Samuel Guthrie  
  
Alias (s): Cannonball  
  
Age: 17  
  
Weight: 178  
  
Height: 6'3"  
  
Eyes: Blue  
  
Hair: Blond  
  
Abilities: Can generate thermo-chemical energy and release it from his skin. Cannonball is able to direct the energy beneath him to propel his body into the air like a human rocket.  
  
History/Various: Sam's latent mutant ability first became apparent when he was trapped in a coal mine with his father. He panicked and triggered his propulsive power, saving them both.  
Name: Danielle Moonstar  
  
Alias (s): Moonstar, Psyche, Dani  
  
Age: 15  
  
Weight: 113  
  
Height: 5'4"  
  
Eyes: Brown  
  
Hair: Black  
  
Abilities: Danielle is able to search people's minds and pull forth 3-D images of their worst fear and even make it real.  
  
History/Various: Danielle is a Cheyenne Indian whose parents were believed dead before she moved to a mountain range in Colorado with her grandfather. Soon her grandfather felt it was time that the new-developing mutant be sent to a professional and shipped her off to Professor Xavier.  
Name: Rachel Summers  
  
Alias (s): Ray, "Red" Hound, Phoenix, Starsoul, Firehair, Bright Lady, Mother Askani.  
  
Age: 19  
  
Weight: 128  
  
Height: 5'11"  
  
Eyes: Green  
  
Hair: Red  
  
Abilities: Telekinesis, mind-reading.  
  
History/Various: Rachel is the daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey- Summers in an alternate timeline. She has escaped a wretched future where mutants are killed for what they are and hopes to make a better one at the Institute under the mentorship of Professor X and her parents.  
Name: Neal Sharra  
  
Alias (s): Thunderbird  
  
Age: 16  
  
Weight: 134  
  
Height: 5'6"  
  
Eyes: Black  
  
Hair: Brown  
  
Abilities: Ability to absorb solar energy and covert it into plasma blasts emitted from his hands.  
  
History/Various: N/A  
Name: Davis Cameron  
  
Alias (s): Slipstream  
  
Age: 18  
  
Weight: N/A  
  
Height: N/A  
  
Eyes: Blue  
  
Hair: Blonde  
  
Abilities: Ability to open portals in space time continuum for travel to any place on the planet.  
  
History/Various: Davis Cameron used to be a talented surfer on the verge of becoming pro before the discovery of becoming a mutant shattered his dreams. Still hiding the fact that he is a mutant from his family.  
Name: Elisabeth "Betsy" Braddock  
  
Alias: Psylocke  
  
Age: 16  
  
Weight: 155  
  
Height: 5'11"  
  
Eyes: Black  
  
Hair: Purple  
  
Abilities: Telepath, telekinesis  
  
History/Various: Daughter of famous Professor Braddock. Two siblings-one older sister and a twin brother who is also a mutant. After both of her parents died in a violent explosion, Betsy shipped herself off to the Institute while her twin brother decided to fend for himself. The last time he was seen was with Magneto.  
  
Name: Remy LeBeau  
  
Alias (s): Gambit  
  
Age: 16  
  
Weight: 175  
  
Height: 6'1"  
  
Eyes: Burning red  
  
Hair: Brown  
  
Abilities: Ability to change an objects potential energy into kinetic energy.  
  
History/Various: Can use almost everything as a weapon by charging it; mostly uses kinetically charged playing cards as well as a bostaff.  
Name: Heather Cameron  
  
Alias (s): Lifeguard  
  
Age: 17  
  
Weight: N/A  
  
Height: N/A  
  
Eyes: Blue  
  
Hair: Blonde  
  
Abilities: Ability to transform skin into golden steel alloy making it impenetrable. Can also transform her body into whatever she needs to rescue someone from danger.  
Name*: Darryl White  
  
Alias (s): Memory Card, Chip  
  
Age: 14  
  
Weight: 120  
  
Height: 5'6"  
  
Eyes: Brown  
  
Hair: Black  
  
Abilities: Ability to absorb and restore data as well as steal knowledge from other minds.  
  
History/Various: Parents were killed years ago by a mysterious anti-mutant group after they found out that his parents were mutants. He escaped with his life by draining everything from their minds. He has now been found and recruited by Storm and Jean to attend the Institute.  
Name: Amara Aquilla  
  
Alias (s): Magma  
  
Age: 15  
  
Weight: 125  
  
Height: 5'7"  
  
Eyes: Brown  
  
Hair: Black  
  
Abilities: Ability to melt and control magma in plasma-radiated blasts.  
  
History/Various: Technologically behind because she was raised on a small, volcanic island with her family. When the volcano erupted, her latent powers became apparent and she was sent to Professor Xavier.  
Name*: Zeelia "Zee" Washington  
  
Alias (s): Outline  
  
Age: 17  
  
Weight: 139  
  
Height: 6'0"  
  
Eyes: Black  
  
Hair: Black  
  
Abilities: Ability to transport anybody from around the planet to wherever she is stationed. Also some kick-boxing training.  
  
History/Various: Grown up in Compton, LA, Zee's parents do not accept her being a mutant and disowned her. She retreated to the Institute to control and understand her powers.  
A/N: Okay, just so you know the original characters are still in this and still get the main focus. Not all of these characters are going to play a MAJOR part, so don't worry about overcrowding in the story. Also, two new professors at the Institute are Beast and Bishop. Review, I know there's nothing that review-worthy up yet, but do it anyways, thanx. 


	2. New Arrivals

X-Men:  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
"New Arrivals"  
  
Dew-clung grass glistened in the morning sun as clocks throughout the Xavier Institute for the Gifted struck nine forty-three. The morning was beautiful, and Professor Xavier-called Professor X by many of his students- studied the spirited sunshine as it poured through the draped window that manifested behind his desk. He smiled at the new day, clasping his hands together.  
  
So many more new mutants were scheduled to show up at his doorstep today-and Professor Xavier was willing to let them in with open arms. They all needed his help-just as young Kurt Wagner had last year-on this exact same day. It was this day, October 25th, that Jean and Storm had found him hiding in that rundown church.  
  
Jean. Remorse filled the elderly bald man at the sound of her name echoing through her mind. Cyclops hadn't been the same after the incident at the dam with Stryker. He had been short and cross with the students and had almost even gotten into a physical fight with Wolverine-something the professor never dreamed one of his favorite students would do.  
  
But then again, Jean had been such a great student too-just lacking self-confidence. She was always short on her own self-ability, never wanting to give her all because she was afraid of failure. To this day he had no idea how she could have controlled so many things at once-how she could've pulled off what she did.  
  
He shook the thoughts from his head. The school had been running extremely smoothly since the incident. They had just added a new wing for the incoming crowd of students as well as a new curriculum. Some of the students strived for more of an education-so they were allowed into Bayville High School and studied their mutant powers part-time and on weekends. As long as the students kept their powers a secret, he saw no problem in them seeking to be more intelligent. He just wanted to make sure that they knew how to use their powers. The school had already lost Pyro because of his rash self-confidence, selfishness, and disrespect for authority.  
  
Lost him to Professor Xavier's worst nightmare: Magneto. There could be no worse place for the young, impressionable boy to be than with him and his lackey, Mystique. They would be able to use him more violently than the Professor could even imagine.  
  
He glanced out the window once more. Cerebro had tracked down a scared, lonely mutant who was just on the outskirts of LA. She was young, about seventeen. She was African-American, tall, slender, with long, black hair. Professor X could make out the tear-streaks down her face and just by looking at her he could tell that her parents didn't approve of her powers. The pit in his stomach had tightened at the thought of a young, impressionable mutant (like Pyro) out on the streets, where anyone could take advantage of her.  
  
That's why he had sent Storm and Nightcrawler to make sure she made it to the Academy. He didn't want her anywhere else.  
  
As he admired the garden bordering his office one last time before turning and exiting he could make out a soaring figure tear through his rose plants. He heard a yelp, and a loud explosion erupted from the northern edge of the garden.  
  
Professor Xavier sighed and concentrated briefly before slipping a message into the young boy's mind.  
  
"Be CAREFUL, Mr. Sharra."  
  
From outside, in the garden, a disheveled looking boy in a baggy flannel shirt and baggy, torn jeans got to his feet. He shook his head; a wild mane of black hair tossed out rose petals, and looked through the window at his Professor. He waved slightly to show he was okay and embarrassedly sauntered toward the mansion.  
  
Professor X smiled. Neal Sharra, aka Thunderbird, was practically the Jean Grey of the students. He tried hard to please, but never really went the extra distance because he was afraid of what he might do to mess up. Neal had probably woken up at six-as he always did on Saturdays-to improve his solar-controlling ability.  
  
Thunderbird was able to draw energy from the Sun and wield it in the form of plasma blasts radiated from his hands.  
  
While most of the students were probably just getting up-or far from it-Neal had been practicing since the break of day. Professor X wheeled his way toward the kitchen where only a few patrons were patrolling for food.  
  
"Hey Professor!" greeted the smiley-face Asian female as she slurped a scoop of chocolate-chip ice cream.  
  
Professor X smiled, "Good morning Jubilee."  
  
From the sink, gulping on a Root Beer (the only thing even with the word BEER in it in the mansion) was the most mysterious, and grumpiest, member of the mansion. Some would even consider Wolverine the coolest teacher at the Academy, but Professor X still thought of him as his student.  
  
"Good morning Logan."  
  
"Hey Prof", the spiky, black-haired, jackal-eyed pioneer of the X-Men greeted, "So today's the day?"  
  
Professor X nodded slightly, "Yes, today is the day we receive the newest additions to the school. . ."  
  
". . .And Jean won't be here to see them", Wolverine pointed out, clenching the glass bottle in his fist.  
  
Professor X felt a wave of remorse shoot through him. He had seen the way Logan stared at Jean. With longing. With passion. He still cared about her, and sometimes Xavier even thought it hurt Logan more than it hurt Scott that Jean was deceased.  
  
The silence in the kitchen was in the form of a chill, nail-biting cold. Professor X turned his head toward the right to make out Bobby "Iceman" Drake, taking a seat next to Jubilee. The young, Asian girl trembled and scooted away from him.  
  
"Do you mind toning it down a bit?" Jubilation Lee asked, glaring at the boy, "I'm trying to eat breakfast here!"  
  
The icy blue-eyed, ash blond-haired boy gave the carton of ice-cream a once-over, "You're having Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream for breakfast? Great selection." He flashed her a sarcastic thumbs-up. Jubilee snapped her fingers, causing a small-but wild-explosion right in Iceman's face. He jumped back, dazed and startled. Jubilee laughed maliciously in a taunt as she made her way out of the kitchen. Bobby glared at her and his eyes twisted into a cool, mint blue as he breathed out a long, narrow strip of ice. It made itself comfortable in the back of the Asian girl's hair.  
  
"AAA!" she yelped as she felt it tingle the back of her head. Her gloved fingers touched her frozen hair and she shrieked in anger, "What are you trying to do, kill my hair?" With another dramatic shriek, Jubilee raced upstairs with loud, obnoxious thuds.  
  
Bobby laughed through a mouthful of ice-cream as he slapped a palm on the counter-top. Nobody messed with him and got away with it. He took another scoop of cookie-dough ice cream and jammed it into his mouth. As he chewed it mercilessly, thoughts from when he had wakened up began to seep through him again.  
  
His life was horrible. Horrible. After he had come out as a mutant to his family last year, he had received one single phone call from his mother. His brother no longer looked up to him and no longer even considered him a sibling. His father didn't even want to talk to him. His mother was the only one that was tolerant, and even she seemed cold and distant.  
  
Cold and distant. Just what he had become. He used to be the Academy's golden boy; perfect grades, perfect girlfriend (if you ignored the fact that he couldn't touch her), perfect family (that lasted long), but in the past year, after Pyro had abandoned them for Magneto, everything had changed. He no longer felt like wasting his time with anyone. If his family didn't want him, he could care less.  
  
The only person he still cared about was her. Rogue. He still thought about her before he went to sleep in his empty room that he used to share with Pyro. He thought about how much he had loved her. How much he adored her anxious brown eyes, how much he enjoyed stroking the streaks of white from her face. They still remained friends-very close friends-even after the break-up.  
  
His thoughts were cut off by a hard, distinct knock at the front door.  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Loud, abrupt singing throughout the dorm hall awakened almost nobody but Rogue. The young, gloved girl with white streaks falling from her auburn hair swung her legs over the bed, bare feet grazing the hardwood floor. She then made out the foundation of the horrid singing. There, only a few feet in front of her desk, stood her sixteen-year-old roommate, Katherine "Kitty" Pride-also known as Shadowcat by her teammates.  
  
Some obnoxious pop song blasted through the small speakers of her radio alarm clock as she tied her long, brown hair back in a neat ponytail, ready for the day's schooling.  
  
"Could ya keep it down?" Rogue snapped, and then squinted as Kitty yanked open the drapes, shoving a pile of sunlight into her roommate's face.  
  
Kitty giggled, "Rogue, calm down! Today's the day all those new kids are coming. Hopefully there's going to be some hot guys! And since you and Bobby called it quits. . ." her tone was insinuating and a mischievous smile played on her lips.  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes and stood up, "Kat, you are really out of line if you think I'm going to get over that break-up any time soon. I'm not like you-I'm not dependent on a guy every week. I can be independent."  
  
Kitty sighed, crossed her arms, and rolled her eyes, "Whatever. I'm going down to get some breakfast-hopefully it's not so morbid." With that said, the girl seeped through the floor and to the first story below.  
  
Finally left alone in the dorm room, Rogue rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and turned off the next song that was flickering from the speakers. She groaned as she realized that she would have to make herself look semi-presentable that day because of the new attending students. Usually, Saturday was her day to just chill and not worry about getting out of her pajamas at all.  
  
The girl had showered the night before, so she simply ran one of Kitty's brushes through her hair. She then shoved on a green tank-top, followed by her dark green zip-up sweater that she left unzipped, and a pair of tight, green corduroy slacks. She sighed and examined her bare hands. The same hands she had put her first love in a coma with. The same hands she had nearly drained Bobby's life with last year.  
  
Is this why you broke up with me, Bobby?  
  
She nervously bit her lower lip. The young girl swiped the distant white streaks of hair from her face and clutched herself between the thick jacket.  
  
How come whenever I think of him, it gets so cold?  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Across the United States, approximately 2,462 miles away from the safety and sheltering of the Academy stood a very motley pair in the enveloping darkness of the outskirts of L.A. Looking at the two, a bystander would be frightened out of his mind. There was a young, well- built woman with light brown skin and contrasting white hair who was clad in tight leather and gloves.  
  
Beside her was an impish young man, with skin the color of deep blue. His teeth were so long that they resembled fangs, and his ears were pointed in an upturned, vampire fashion. The two were quickly making their way through back alleys, making sure not to be seen by any hateful onlookers. Their kind wasn't welcome here. They weren't welcome anywhere.  
  
"Storm", came a deep, resounding voice within the white-haired woman's mind, "You are extremely close to her now-only a couple more blocks."  
  
The woman whose true name was Ororo Munroe nodded at the orders of Professor Xavier. To many of her teammates, and students, she was known as Storm because of her immense mutating ability to control the weather. She had been one of the first, pioneering members of the X-Men; she had watched it grow through the past years. She had also watched it decrease. She slightly hung her head as she thought of her fallen teammate and friend, the self-conscious red-head who had always been there, but was gone now.  
  
Although the South African goddess had to admit-the school had made a lot of progress. They had had to add and extra wing for the incoming students. Even as she looked over her shoulder as the young man that she and Jean had recruited exactly one year ago today. Kurt Wagner smiled back at her and tossed her a wave. She didn't know why he didn't just hologram a human figure to mask his true, deep navy form, it just seemed easier to creep through the alleys.  
  
Storm realized only now that the boy who had taken on the name Nightcrawler looked very much like one of the demons that plagued her dreams as she was a child. She was quickly reminded of his gentle, kind generosity when she made out the long, golden crucifix hanging from his slender neck.  
  
"Are we almost there?" he asked breathlessly.  
  
Storm turned to face him, "Yes, Professor X just channeled me-she is only a couple of blocks away."  
  
"And we can't transport there because?" he asked, as if he were making a point.  
  
Storm sighed, "Because you still have to see where you are going in order to transport us there, remember? You're problem, not mine."  
  
He swallowed angrily in return and followed his white-haired companion around the next jutting corner. Suddenly a clatter was heard from their right. Nightcrawler felt a sincere tingle race up his arm. Something was wrong.  
  
"Who's there?" asked Storm, her voice quivering slightly.  
  
Nightcrawler grabbed his teammate's shoulders and the two vanished in a thick cloud of dust to the left as a large garbage can flew toward the spot Storm had just inhabited. A young, vibrant girl with light brown skin and long, silk black hair jumped out of the shadows. She had on a midriff bearing tank-top with tight, leather pants and a pair of stylish combat boots.  
  
"That's her!" Storm cried, "Wait! We only want to help you!"  
  
The girl did a front flip toward the opening in the alley, and then hopped onto a garbage can, using it for leverage, before she tossed herself upward-fifteen more feet-onto a large brick roof.  
  
Storm was not in the mood for this.  
  
"Kurt", she warned, as her eyes laminated into a pale white color, "I hope you brought an umbrella."  
  
She lifted her fist high above her head, twisting the dark clouds at her command. She ordered herself to concentrate. Controlling the weather didn't exactly come easy. Before she knew it, rain was splattering downward, smacking the pavement and slashing through trash can.  
  
Okay, now we need lightning.  
  
The white-haired wind rider widened her eyes as power surged through her limbs. Long, jagged scars of purple damaged the silk night sky. The young girl's yelp could be heard from above. Before Storm knew what was going on, the young African-American female jumped off the roof.  
  
"Kurt!" Storm warned.  
  
The girl landed hard on her feet, but ignored the pain and raced toward the nearest opening in the rained out alley. Kurt transported on top of the roof she had just been on. She was now directly below him. He closed his eyes to try and ignore the pounding rain, and vanished into another navy cloud of smoke. He then found himself right in front of the girl-trapping her from leaving.  
  
She caught a good glimpse of his face and screamed. She girl desperately searched for another way out.  
  
"I'm here to help you", Kurt said, offering out his hand.  
  
"NO!" she cried, "Stay away from me you freak!"  
  
She turned into another alley-like maze. She jumped up and caught her footing on the wall. Nightcrawler stood in awe-tail twitching-as the girl amazingly walked sideways across the wall at an amazing speed. Her hair hung downward and the mutant could make out the panic in her dark eyes. She was beautiful.  
  
Like she'd ever give a freak like you the chance. "We are here to help you!" Storm exclaimed, catching up to Nightcrawler, "Please, wait!"  
  
"Leave me alone!" the girl cried, still racing further down the wall before jumping upward onto the roof.  
  
"We know you are different", Storm yelled to her, "We know you are a mutant and we know you need help."  
  
"What makes you say that?" the girl asked, dropping from her perch and freezing for a minute, "You tricks don't know me."  
  
"If you didn't need help than why are you out in the outskirts of Los Angeles by yourself at this time in the night", Storm asked matter-of- factly, "I have been there", she beckoned to Kurt, "He has been there. We are all different. We have a school-for mutants-we can help you."  
  
The girl wiped a trickling tear from her eye as she backed away, "I don't want to be a freak. . ."  
  
"You're not a freak. . ."  
  
"Don't give me that!" the girl exclaimed, "I am a freak! I made my dog disappear and I brought an arsonist into my home-with the blink of an eye!"  
  
The girl began to sob uncontrollably now, "If I'm not a freak, than how come my parents hate me?"  
  
She fell to her knees in a small puddle near a dumpster. Storm and Nightcrawler neared her slowly. When the girl felt Storm's gloved hand gently grip her shoulder it almost felt right. She felt safe-and Storm felt sympathy for the poor girl. The poor girl had been her only years before.  
  
"My name is Storm", she said, smiling, "and I can control the weather. What's you're name?"  
  
"Zee", the girl said simply, "and I make people disappear."  
  
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX  
  
Scott Summers glared angrily at the claw-wielding mutant in front of him. He must have looked stupid, sobbing in the hallway of the main dorms in his leather uniform and dark brown trench coat. He could feel the hot, spring-like tears rush from beneath the sunglasses that covered the deadly lasers he called his eyes. That is why to most, he was known as simply Cyclops.  
  
"Cryin' there Scotty-boy?" came the gruff, low voice of his tension- raising rival, Wolverine.  
  
Scott continued his deathlike glare, "Get out of here."  
  
Of course, he had been crying. It was only a mere couple of days before the anniversary of his lover's death. The death of the wonderful, giving, but self-conscious Jean Grey. He had seen the way Wolverine had looked at her while she was still alive-he had wanted her ever since he'd arrived at the Academy.  
  
"Why, so I can't let you wallow in the loss of your perfect wife?" came the gravelly reply.  
  
The blow hurt-even if the couple wasn't yet married before her untimely drowning. Logan was talking out of jealousy, and Cyclops knew it.  
  
"Just because you never stood a chance with her doesn't mean you have to get mad that the rest of us are semi-attractive."  
  
Wolverine's jaw clenched and his fists closed angrily. He cocked his eyebrow, "Doesn't it hurt-Scotty-boy-to know that your lovely little girlfriend could never even look into your eyes?"  
  
Cyclops didn't waste any time. He turned angrily, catching Wolverine with a blow to the jaw. The savage mutant growled angrily, and barreled into him, shoving him hard into the wall. Cyclops gasped as his back snapped in contact with the peach-painted surface. He was tempted to remove his glasses, but at this close a range the shock and pressure of the laser could wound-possibly kill Wolverine instead of just shocking him.  
  
Cool, narrow knives were pressed angrily into the mutant's neck as he breathed in sighs of deep relief. Wolverine's claws were out, and his face was twisted into an angry scowl.  
  
He sliced through Cyclops's thick trench coat and smiled angrily, "Take this as a warning-don't ever hit me."  
  
"Logan?"  
  
Both men turned their heads to the right just in time to see a group of students gathering down the hall. In front of the pack were Rogue, Thunderbird, and Iceman. Rogue's eyes widened in disbelief and confusion.  
  
"What's goin' on?" she asked slowly as she crossed her arms.  
  
Wolverine shut his eyes-disappointed with himself-and let Cyclops go. Cyclops glanced angrily at him. Not only had he cut up his favorite trench-coat, but he had sliced a good wound right through his dignity. As Wolverine stalked angrily down the hall and away from the murmuring students, Cyclops took a deep breath.  
  
You will pay, Wolvy-boy.  
  
A/N: Just the introduction, review, please. Next chapter will start the storyline as well as introduce the new students/secondary characters. Also next chapter features Magneto & Mystique.  
  
Chapter Two Preview:  
  
Rogue looked the tall, slender boy over with approval. His hair was dark and sandy, falling into his deep, moody eyes every chance it could. He was armed with only a duffel bag slung over one shoulder. He smiled at her slightly.  
  
He was shuffling a pack of playing cards swiftly in his hands. 


	3. CardThrowing Cajuns & RedHeaded Psychics

X-MEN  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
Last Chapter: Professor X, Cyclops, and Wolverine all struggle to cope with Jean's death. Rogue and Iceman deal with their break-up while Storm and Nightcrawler attempt to offer refuge to a mysterious mutant named Zee. New mutants begin arriving at the academy.  
"Card-Throwing Cajuns & Red-Headed Psychics"  
  
"What was Wolverine doing back there?" Rogue asked, still astonished at what she had caught her role model and mentor doing.  
  
He had actually been in a physical fight with another professor.  
  
"It looked to me like he was kicking Cyclops's ass", joked Iceman as he made his way downstairs behind the auburn-haired power-stealing mutant.  
  
He and Thunderbird laughed at his (to Rogue) unfunny joke. Obviously it had been over Jean, she'd shown up in the hallway early enough to know that much. She knew Wolverine had always had a thing for Jean-something more than just teammates. Ever since her death, everything around the academy had been about Jean. Two people were fighting over Jean, students were doing reports on her heroism, and most of the male body was beginning to admit their secret crushes on her.  
  
The three friends finally made it downstairs to the foyer where Professor Xavier and Professor Hank McCoy, aka-the Beast, were greeting a tall, able-bodied, muscular young man with dark blond hair and blue eyes. He was loaded with two suitcases, a duffel bag, and a backpack. Beast caught the three students staring, open-mouthed at the newcomer and introduced them.  
  
"Ah", he sighed, as if they were a relief, "Rogue, Bobby, Neal-meet Samuel Guthrie. He just came to us from Kentucky-you remember Husk, right?"  
  
How could they forget the polite, yet brash young blond who could shed her skin into anything from titanium to glass?  
  
"Well, this is her older brother", Beast introduced, smiling. He was in human form, so instead of a rugged row of beastlike teeth, straight, pearly-white glistened in the morning's light.  
  
The boy dropped his bags and offered his hand to Rogue. Her breath caught in her throat. She wasn't wearing her gloves. Bobby sensed her dilemma and took the boy's hand instead, "I'm Robert Drake, but you can call me Bobby. I'm the Iceman."  
  
"Call me Sam, or Cannonball, whichever you prefer", the young boy said, next taking Neal's hand.  
  
"What exactly is your power?" Thunderbird asked.  
  
"You will find out soon enough", Professor X interrupted, "Because Mr. Guthrie will be sharing a room with you, Mr. Sharra."  
  
"Really?" Neal choked, "Awesome-we're going to have the best time", he continued talking as he grappled two of Sam's bags and led him upstairs.  
  
Bobby grimaced. Pyro had been his roommate before he up and ran off with Magneto. What cocky newcomer did they have sharing a room with him? Professor X and Beast waited near the door for any other new mutants, while Rogue and Bobby made their way into the common room where Artie, Leech, and Colossus where busy doing homework.  
  
She probably had no idea that Bobby still cared for her. He had broken up with her after all. He just couldn't handle not having his family backing him up and not being able to touch her-not being able to feel affection. So he had dumped her and now he realized what a hug mistake he had made by doing so two months ago.  
  
"You gonna sit down or what?" Rogue asked as she plopped down on the sofa in front of the television where Jubilee was watching intently.  
  
Bobby smiled earnestly and took a seat beside her. Jubilee looked at the two suspiciously, icicles still clinging to her black hair. The screen flickered on a local news station where a large crowd was surrounding a large pile of ash that stretched on for miles. A female newscaster's voice could be heard.  
  
"The American Shelter for Abandoned Mutants was burned down and bombed only two nights ago, but the controversy has exploded all over the nation. Three hundred and fifty mutants were killed in the burning, and suspects are the H.S.A.M.F., the Homo Sapiens against Mutant Freaks, an anti-mutant hate group that grows larger by the year. This is the third large institute for mutants that the gang has hit. The group is known to be very intelligent and dangerous. Here is some footage a local bystander took of the explosion."  
  
The students watched as a large gang dressed in black, carrying guns and other various weapons approached the shelter. A few mutants tried to defend it, only to be bathed in a shower of bullets before the large boom filled the television screen and fire emerged everywhere.  
  
"Oh my God", Jubilee gasped.  
  
Rogue could only cover her mouth at the gruesome sight before her. Bobby's eyes widened intensely and the room began to get very cold.  
  
"Bobby!" Jubilee scolded, shivering in her recliner.  
  
"Sorry", he apologized, "I just. . .I just panicked."  
  
"Well could you panic a little warmer next time?" Jubilee snapped, clutching herself in an attempt to keep warm.  
  
"Sorry, my powers just released themselves when I saw that footage. I just thought about that happening to the school and. . ."  
  
"That would never happen here", Colossus remarked from his spot at the table behind them, "They probably think this is a prep school. Besides, the professors wouldn't let anything happen to us."  
  
"They can't control what they don't expect", the Iceman muttered.  
  
Jubilee rolled her eyes, "Okay, this is getting a little too deep for me. I'm going to the danger room for a workout-anyone who's with me can tag along." She got out of the recliner and exited the room, Colossus followed close behind.  
  
Bobby glanced over at Rogue, who was anxiously watching the news with a trembling lip, "Ah can't believe that actually happened. What is the world coming to?"  
  
Bobby put a supportive hand on her heavily clothed shoulder, "It'll be okay.  
  
And for a brief moment in time, the Iceman felt like he was on fire.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Wolverine sliced off another rose petal from a nearby plant in the garden as he stalked through it angrily. Where did Cyclops get off hitting him? Where did he even get off accusing him of lusting over Jean? Even he had lusted over her slim, red-headed body while she was still alive; it wasn't any of three-eyes business.  
  
Then Rogue had seen the whole thing. He cared too much about her to let her see his angry side. She was like his little sister, and he hated setting a bad example.  
  
Cyclops always had everything handed to him on a silver platter. The perfect family with the perfect woman to back him up and a leadership role handed to him by the Professor. Cyclops kind of reminded him of Rogue's little squeeze, that Bobby-kid with icicles for balls. Preppy and perfect all around, with nothing ever threatening his perfect existence.  
  
He didn't know what it was like to not have it as good. He didn't know what it was like to wake up one day and find claws protruding from your knuckles-he had no clue how it felt to not know anything about your past. Wolverine slammed his clawed fist into the nearest bush he could find, wishing it were Cyclops's face.  
  
"Something bothering you, Wolverine?" came the Professor's cool, calm voice from behind him.  
  
Wolverine turned around to face the wheel-chair bound psychic and clenched his fists, "When is there something not bothering, Prof?"  
  
The Professor smiled, "If it's about Scott-I suggest both of you get over it and begin to control your temper. Remember, we have students here that we must set a prime example to."  
  
Wolverine glared at him. He had to agree, not only because his respect for the Professor was great, but because he was right. He couldn't wash out the look on Rogue's face when she had seen them pounding on each other in the hallway. Wolverine looked down, his jaw twitching in anger.  
  
"I'll be expecting you to baby-sit. Hank and I are making a trip down to California-there's a mutant down there who needs our help. Cyclops will be taking some time off-a temporary leave of absence-so that leaves you since Storm is away."  
  
Wolverine took a deep breath.  
  
Why did God make his life so miserable?  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"Hello and welcome to Xavier Institute for the Gifted", greeted Beast as he yanked the door open with a shuddering creak. His muscles froze tightly as studied the girl standing before him. No way-same green eyes- same bouncy red hair that groped her shoulders.  
  
"Jean?"  
  
The girl eyed him confusedly, "Who's Jean?"  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Remy LeBeau rapped quickly on the door frame of the already open backdoor of the Gifted Institute. It already looked like some conservative little boarding school and he was beginning to wonder why he even came here armed with his one duffel bag, bostaff, and stack of playing cards.  
  
Because they can help you.  
  
He tightened the long, brown leather trench coat around his leather- clad body before glancing around the yard. It stretched out for miles into the sun, with brick buildings of dorms and classrooms surrounding it vainly. Suddenly a thin finger tapped his shoulder.  
  
He turned to face the person and found himself looking into the eyes of a short, young, tanned black-haired girl that looked about two years younger than him. He smiled. She was attractive-just not his type of girl. She looked like the good girl prototype, he liked them wild.  
  
"Hey", he said suavely, offering his hand, "I'm Remy-Gambit to most- and you are?"  
  
She smiled sweetly, taking his hand, "My name is Amara Aquilla-I call myself Magma. Do you have any idea where we are supposed to go? I'm lost."  
  
"We'll find out together", he said, and the pair tore across the lawn.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Danielle Moonstar brushed a strand of dark black, Cherokee-bred hair from her eyes as she slammed her knuckles into the hard wooden door before her. She grumbled a few curses under her breath-her place was NOT down here with city mutants-it was back up in the Colorado Mountains with her grandfather. Why had he sent her here anyhow? She was in complete control of her powers.  
  
As the golden knob began to turn another young girl, about her age took a step next to her. She was dressed in a dark blue tank-top and a pair of low-cut jeans. Her hair reached down to the small of her back and tinted in an unusual purple color in the afternoon sun.  
  
"Hi", Danielle murmured, only because she had nothing else, really, to say that could break the ice.  
  
"Hello", the girl said, fighting off a British accent, "I'm Elisabeth Braddock."  
  
"Danielle Moonstar", Danielle answered, "But you can just call me Dani."  
  
"I can move things with my mind as well as the gifted mutation of telepathy", the purple-haired girl replied, "So I call myself Psylocke. What's your gift?"  
  
Gift? More like a curse.  
  
Danielle scowled, "My GIFT-as you so willingly call it-is that I can reach into your mind and bring forth 3-D images of your greatest fear. Wanna see?"  
  
A frightened look came to the other girl's face and she shook her head and crossed her arms, slinging her backpack of her shoulder as she did so. The door swung open and the two girls were looking into the icy blue eyes of a blond-headed stranger.  
  
In the background, a man laden in black leather, a trench coat, and sunglasses and a black haired man with glasses were staring wide-mouthed at a young, red headed girl who was also accentuated in a leather uniform and jacket.  
  
The two girls entered slowly. The silence inside was incredible. Danielle looked around-what was going on? Wasn't anyone going to welcome them?  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The question was proposed by the man in sunglasses as his lip trembled. At first Danielle thought he was talking to her in that snappy, disrespectful tone and was about to turn on the attitude. Then she realized he was referring to the nervous yet confident looking red-head before him.  
  
"I'm your daughter."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Rogue had finally changed the channel to some lame music videos on MTV. It was better than watching some mutant-hunting hate group slander people not of their own kind. She bit her lower lip nervously. What if Bobby was right? What if the Xavier Institute somehow had a run-in with that violent crowd? He was obviously serious about it, since it got damn near below freezing in the room when he'd said it.  
  
She couldn't help but feel that the X-Men were their next target.  
  
Before the young girl with white streaks running through her hair could delve further into her thoughts she heard a loud footstep slam into the tile behind her from the outside patio. She cocked her head to the side quickly and saw two unrecognizable faces.  
  
The first was a pretty, young, tanned girl with black hair that hung at her shoulders and an innocent, smiling face. Beside her was someone who would put Bobby to shame.  
  
Rogue looked the tall, slender boy over with approval. His hair was dark and sandy, falling into his deep, moody eyes every chance it could. He was armed with only a duffel bag slung over one shoulder and a long bostaff constrained to a sheath on his back. He smiled at her slightly.  
  
He was shuffling a pack of playing cards swiftly in his hands.  
  
"Uh, hey ya'll", Rogue greeted awkwardly as she got to her feet, "Ya'll must be the new students Professor X was talkin' about."  
  
"That would be us", said the girl with a smile, "I'm Amara."  
  
The boy looked Rogue over, amused, "And I'm Remy LeBeau. Nice to meet you, Ms. . ."  
  
"Rogue", the girl who longed to touch him, but couldn't finished for him, "Mah name is Rogue."  
  
"Well, Rogue", he said, smiling, "You can call me Gambit. And yes, we are the new students."  
  
"Uh, I'll introduce ya'll to Professor McCoy", Rogue stammered, "He'll make sure you get your rooming assignments."  
  
Gambit nodded, and Amara followed Rogue out of the common room and into the foyer where two new girls stood by in shock as Cyclops broke down. A tall, beautiful, slender red-head was looking Cyclops over with amusement and her arms crossed.  
  
"What's goin' on?" Rogue asked as she entered the room.  
  
Bobby grabbed her shoulder and said, "This nutcase", he nodded toward the red-headed girl before them, "Is saying she's Scott and Jean's daughter."  
  
"What?!" Rogue exclaimed, covering her mouth in astonishment as she did so.  
  
"I know this is all hard to believe", the girl said, offering her hand, "But it is the truth. My name is Rachel Summers and I am from an alternate future. If I could explain to you how I got here-to the present day-in words you would believe, I would do it. I'm afraid that's impossible. You'll just have to believe me. I'm here because the future for mutants is not good-and I want to change that."  
  
Cyclops stared at her for a moment longer and swallowed, "How could Jean and I have a daughter if she's dead?"  
  
"I said from an alternate future", answered Rachel, "Not this exact timeline. You have to believe me."  
  
"I'm sorry", Cyclops apologized scornfully before taking off out the main doors, "But I just can't accept that."  
  
As the door slammed shut behind him angrily, the foyer fell silent. Rogue and Bobby exchanged weary glances. Neal, who had jut come downstairs to show Sam around, stared wide-eyed and Rachel shut her eyes in humiliation and an attempt to keep her dignity in front of all these strangers.  
  
Suddenly, Professor McCoy turned to face the two wide-mouthed girls at the doorway and said, "Welcome to Xavier Academy for the Gifted."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Professor Xavier has the Institute, Magneto thought with a smirk as he made himself comfortable in the large, overstuffed throne-like structure in the middle of the stone-like dungeon he had created, so it is only fitting that I have a base of operations.  
  
He had been planning how to get rid of that wheel-chair bound psycho for a while now. Was he crazy to think that humans and mutants could co- exist together? He was only making things worse for mutants with his clan of do-gooders and future-peace making students.  
  
Magneto had formed his own team now-and he knew it put the Institute's weaklings to shame. First, was his ever faithful Mystique. Then, the young, fiery Pyro who was ready for action-just a little to ahead of his time and rebellious. He then recruited the young, homeless adult he had found working the streets with the incredible power to control electricity-he called himself Surge.  
  
There was also the large, extremely overweight young man of about Pyro's age who called himself Blob. His body was about as big as three body-builders and each of his arms were as big as a four by four. He was skyscrapers taller than the young Pyro with just as much tenacity.  
  
He also adopted the youngest, and what he thought was the most interesting, of his new mutants. She called herself Methane-she breathed out deadly gas that could either kill you or mess with your brain and make you her slave. She was thin, but with beautiful, Asian cut eyes and long, black hair streamed with silver. She was also trained in knife-throwing and ninjistu.  
  
And right now, they were all gathered before him. His servants. And hopefully these ones wouldn't mess up like Sabretooth and Toad had.  
  
"Are you ready, Mystique?"  
  
The tall, slender mutant that was smothered in a reptilian blue nodded and murmured in her raspy voice, "Of course I'm ready."  
  
"Good, so we all know our parts. Mystique, you disguise yourself as the head guard. Methane, make sure you knock all of the guards out-good. Surge, I want you to knock all the power out of the place and then I will free our ally. The one man that can help us defeat Professor X and his gang of Dudley-Do-Rights."  
  
"What about us?" Pyro asked, lighting his lighter with a click before glaring up at Magneto.  
  
"You and Mr. Blob", started Magneto, "will remain back here to make sure all runs smoothly. You are not ready for this type of a mission yet."  
  
Pyro rolled his eyes, "This place sucks. It's just like Xavier's mansion-a bunch of stupid rules and regulations. I'm sick of it."  
  
"You'll get your chance soon enough", Magneto snapped, "As soon as we free Mr. Sinister, I'll make sure you get your chance to play."  
  
With that, and thoughts of the Xavier Institute lying in ruins, Magneto's harsh, malicious laugh filled the ebony, starlit night sky.  
  
A/n: Okay, so Magneto and Mr. Sinister are planning to buddy up against the X-Men. Will Rogue and Bobby get back together or will Remy sweep her off her feet? Is Rachel Cyclops's daughter? If so, will he accept her? What about the rest of the mutants? If you want to know than you're going to have to review!  
  
Chapter Three Preview:  
  
Bobby eyed the cocky Cajun over quickly and tossed Beast another hopeful look, "Please don't tell me I have to share a room with HIM!"  
  
***  
  
"So, you can make people disappear?" Storm asked as Nightcrawler guided the X-jet through wind-filled currents and pumped up clouds.  
  
Zee looked at her and swiped her disheveled black hair from her space, "I can also defy gravity. My parents found out when I began to have this excruciating headache. While I was screaming in pain, an arsonist appeared out of nowhere in our house and nearly killed my father. When my mother realized that my headache had stopped when the murderer appeared, she knew something was up and before I knew it, I was out of the curb."  
  
***  
  
Cyclops screamed in pain as his nostrils filled with a stinging, angry sensation. He tried to cover her nose, but a kick to the stomach did nothing to help him catch his breath. He was sent flying backward, landing hard on the ground before air came back to him. It was then that his attacker spoke.  
  
"We can make this easy, or we can make this painful. Now get up and come with me or I will have to get extremely violent." 


	4. The Master Plan

X-MEN  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
A/n: Vasquez, Scott & Jean's daughter, Rachel Summers, is a real character in the Marvel universe; I didn't make her up-just so you know. The only characters that I own are the H.S.A.M.F. group, Zee, and Memory Card. When am I gonna get some more reviews for this story?  
  
Last Chapter: The new students arrive at the Academy and Cyclops denies his daughter from the alternate future. Bobby struggles with his feelings for Rogue, while she sets her eyes on the new kinetic-energy manipulating mutant, Gambit. A mutant shelter is blown up by an anti-mutant hate gang.  
"The Master Plan"  
  
So he doesn't want me here.  
  
Rachel Summers brushed a strand of light red hair from a large green eye as the front door slammed shut behind her father. She couldn't really blame him for running-Rachel doubted she would accept some strange young college-aged girl saying she was her daughter either. She took a deep breath and tightened her leather jacket around her slim figure. She was only here because the future was a twisted, dark world for mutants-and she wanted to improve it before it got out of hand.  
  
The foyer was deathly silent, and Rachel could feel all the wide pairs of eyes studying her-waiting for her next move. She took another deep breath and turned to face everyone.  
  
"Hi, my name is Rachel Summers. Do any of you know where I'll be staying?"  
  
Silence replied to her as everyone stared open-mouthed.  
  
"Yes Rachel", came a calm, serene voice from behind her, "Welcome to the Academy-you will be in Room 109."  
  
Rachel turned quickly to see a short, bald man constrained to a wheelchair. He smiled at her warmly. She could hear quick gasps from behind her and her face broke into its own wide, welcoming smile.  
  
"Professor X!" she jogged the couple of feet toward the Professor, bent over and embraced him warmly. Back in her old universe, Professor X was an icon-he had also been the one to channel her through her mind while she was in the alternate future, from his current location in the present. It was so willing to help her get out of there-and she finally had, from the help of a portal-hopping mutant named Blink.  
  
"Hank, give the rest of these newcomers their rooming assignments and then meet me out in the X-Mobile (A/N: Sorry, I don't know the names of any of their cars)", Professor X ordered, before winking at Rachel and wheeling down the hallway.  
  
Beast nodded and said, "Alright everyone-into the briefing room- follow me."  
  
Bobby, Rogue, and Neal watched as the large group of newcomers milled slowly behind the professor and past the common room, down the hallway. Rogue smiled as Gambit glanced at her and tossed her a slight wave. Bobby's ears burned angrily at the sight.  
  
Who does that guy think he is?  
  
Bobby Drake had no idea who thought they could just barge into HIS territory and start flirting with his girlfriend, but whoever had that idea was horribly mistaken. Well, technically, Rogue wasn't his girlfriend anymore-but what did it matter? She was still marked territory if he liked her.  
  
"What's wrong, Bobby?"  
  
Bobby turned quickly to see Rogue peering up at him inquiringly. Bobby gulped slightly and felt an icy feeling of panic clutch through his chest. How come every time he started to panic his powers surged out of control? It hadn't happened much-only after he had broken up with Rogue.  
  
"Oh, nothing's wrong. Why do you ask?"  
  
Rogue just smiled, "No reason-you just looked mad."  
  
With that, she took off into the common room with Neal and Kitty. Bobby shook his head in disappointment, scolding himself for another lost opportunity to tell her how he felt.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The sky was crisp and clear as the Blackbird soared through it-Storm had made sure of that. Zee had agreed to give Xavier's Institute a chance, so the trio had been traveling since one-thirty a.m. the night before. Zee had been tired and slept most of the ride-and by now they were only a few hours away from the Academy.  
  
Storm took a deep breath as she ran her fingers through her pale white hair before glancing toward the back of the jet and spotting the girl slowly waking up. She smiled genuinely and left Kurt at the controls while slowly making her way toward the still-frightened girl.  
  
Zee eyed her wearily and turned her head so that she could look out the window. Storm sighed. It was obviously going to be up to her to start this conversation.  
  
"So, you can make people disappear?" Storm asked a Nightcrawler guided the X-Jet through the wind-filled currents and pumped-up clouds.  
  
Zee looked at her and swiped her disheveled black hair from her face, "I can also defy gravity-that's how I was doing all those fancy tricks back in the alley. My parents found out last year when I began to have an excruciating headache about a year ago. While I was screaming in pain, a well-known, wanted arsonist appeared in our house and nearly killed my father. When my headache stopped and the arsonist's began, I knew something was wrong. After it was released about the Cerebro II incident my parents knew something was up and I was kicked the curb. Just because I was different."  
  
Storm put a supportive hand on the trembling girl's shoulder, "I know how you feel. I used to feel the same-I used to have no control over my powers. I was scared-I destroyed almost five villages when a group of tornados went out of control. It is no easy task keeping the weather in check. You will be okay thought-I see potential in you."  
  
Zee smiled and replied, "Really?"  
  
Storm flashed another full-blown smile-something she did very rarely- and said, "Yes."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The new recruits finally exited the briefing room, and Rogue craned her neck to make out Gambit in the large crowd of students. He waved slightly and made his way into the common room.  
  
"Hey, how's it goin'?" Rogue asked, keeping her hands in check. She still hadn't put her gloves on yet, and she didn't want to hurt the poor guy and scare him away.  
  
"Pretty good", he murmured, his thick Cajun accent slipping like music in her penetrating ear drums, "This place has A LOT of rules though."  
  
Rogue giggled haplessly, "I know-you'll have to see the Danger Room sometime-it's a real blast."  
  
"Yeah, if you're a goody-two-shoes", Kitty bounced in, jumping into the conversation out of nowhere, "The danger-room sucks. It's Saturday and I'm hitting the mall! Are you guys coming?"  
  
Rogue glared at her angrily. Kitty knew how much she hated the mall, and obviously she knew how much she liked Gambit because she was inviting him. What a low move. Rogue slightly elbowed the teeny-bopper to the side and flashed Gambit a toothy grin.  
  
"How 'bout I show ya to yah room?" Rogue asked, receiving a complimentary shove from Kitty.  
  
Gambit's eyes softened as he smirked carelessly, "Sure, why not? I'm in Room 234."  
  
Suddenly, Bobby was beside Rogue, panting like a rabid dog, "No way- that's my room. There is no way you are in Room 234."  
  
Gambit held up a small slip of paper that confirmed his claim, "Why don't you take it up with Professor McCoy?"  
  
Bobby seethed angrily, a blast of freezing cold air shooting from his mouth.  
  
"Bobby", Rogue scolded, "What's the problem?"  
  
"Nothing", Bobby choked out, hardly able to contain his anger.  
  
He was not about to share his dorm (that had once been inhibited by Pyro) with some overconfident, conceited, egotistical play boy that had a thing for Rogue. He turned away from the group of friends that eyed him strangely and stormed towards Beast. Beast was hurriedly making his way out to meet the Professor for their mission in California.  
  
"Professor McCoy!" Bobby yelped, his voice cracking as he grabbed his instructor's shoulder and spun him around.  
  
"Yes, Mr. Drake", he asked a bit indignantly. Bobby was usually much more respectful.  
  
"Please don't tell me that I have to share a room with. . .with. . ."  
  
"Mr. LeBeau?" Beast asked, smiling, "Oh, I didn't think you'd mind. I thought your room was already getting a little lonely ever since Mr. Allerdyce's departure. I'm sorry."  
  
"Can't you change it?" Iceman cried.  
  
Bobby eyed the cocky Cajun over quickly and tossed Beast another hopeful look, "Please don't tell me I have to share a room with HIM!"  
  
But the front door had already slammed shut, leaving the Iceman with his inevitable fate.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
I already hate this place.  
  
Danielle Moonstar slammed a few more articles of clothing into her dresser drawer. She was already feeling stuffy in the large mansion-she wanted to go back home. Back to the Colorado mountains with her grandfather. Back with the fresh breeze clinging to her nose and whipping through her hair like caring hands.  
  
"I hear a bunch of the other students are headed to the mall", Psylocke noted, neatly setting things in her own drawer, "Are you coming? Or are you going to stay cooped up in this room all day?"  
  
Stay cooped up in this room all day.  
  
Danielle forced a smile. Elisabeth-or "Betsy" as many of the other new mutants were calling her-was the closest thing she had in this place and she didn't want to lose that, "I might go."  
  
"Good, it should be fun", the mutant added, tossing her beautiful purple hair over her shoulder.  
  
Danielle sighed. Back in Colorado, malls weren't an option. Just hanging out with the rest of her friends was fun enough. Not that any of them wanted anything to do with her now that she was a mutant. She took a deep breath at the thought of how her powers had first been discovered. . .  
  
She clenched eyes shut and shook the thought out of her head. If she dwelled on it too long it would come to life right before her eyes, and she would be forced to relive it again. She felt a tear trickle down her cheek, but quickly swiped it away before Betsy could make it out.  
  
Why me?  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"So are you coming to the mall or not?" Kitty shoved her way past Rogue and fluttered her heavily made-up eyelashes at Gambit.  
  
He shrugged and looked over at Rogue for approval, "Are you going?"  
  
"Only if you are", she replied bashfully, before studying the hardwood floor.  
  
"Sure", Gambit finally came up with his decision, "It's good to know you guys do SOME normal stuff around here. Just let me put my bag upstairs in my room."  
  
Bobby glared at him as the boy made his way up the stairs and toward HIS room. Rogue sighed dreamily-as long as she kept her hands in the pockets of her dark green sweater, she wouldn't have to wear her gloves out in public. She brandished another white streak of hair from her face and jammed her hands into the pockets of her hoodie.  
  
"Hurry up you guys", Jubilee yelped from the front door, "The day isn't getting any younger and the 30% off sale at Macy's isn't gonna last forever!"  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Cyclops tore down the street on his motorcycle, glaring angrily from his sunglasses, at anybody who bothered to stare. He was pissed off and wasn't afraid to show it. First, Wolverine had stared his day off with hell, and now some pathetic low-life was back at the Academy claiming to be his daughter.  
  
He hadn't had sex with Jean but a couple of times-there was no way! Alternate future, please. Cyclops took a deep breath. He was on his way to California. That's where the Professor was headed and besides, he needed this leave of absence for the longest time now. It was too hard being at that school that reminded him so much of Jean. Now that girl-Rachel-who looked just like Jean made it all worse.  
  
He was just turning into a long, narrow alley that would lead out into the expressway when a loud scream erupted from out of nowhere. A flaring power cable wrenched out toward him from above and he was forced to jerk his bike to the side. He was tossed off, landing hard on his side in the slick asphalt. He yelped in pain and looked up just in time to see a tall, skinny Asian woman with long black hair snap, "Great job with the power lines, Surge."  
  
Cyclops twirled to his feet quickly, "Who are you?"  
  
She smiled sweetly at him, "Amy Wong-but you can call me Methane."  
  
With no warning whatsoever, the young woman in black leather took a deep breath and blue acid-smelling, rancid air into his face. Cyclops struggled to reach his glasses and remove them, but the stench clogged his nostrils angrily. His nervousness was tangled with his ribs as his knees began to give away.  
  
He screamed in pain as his nostrils filled with an angry, stinging sensation. He tried to cover his nose, but a kick to the stomach did nothing to help him catch his breath. He was sent flying backward, landing hard on his back before air came to him. It was then that his attacker spoke again.  
  
"We can make this easy, or we can make this painful. Now get up and come with me or I will have to get extremely violent."  
  
Suddenly, her boot was slammed hard into his chest. She smiled and pursed her lips together, breathing more of the disgusting odor into his face. His brain began to swirl and his mind swooped outward. He had no clue what was going on-his identity began to flash before his eyes before it was almost completely erased.  
  
"You belong to me." Came her voice, slowly and satisfied.  
  
"Yes, Mistress."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"We have Cyclops", Mystique reported with a grin as she returned to Magneto's lair.  
  
He smiled in pleasure, "Good. Now it is time for my master plan to go into work. Tonight we free Mr. Sinister and rid the planet of the scum that refers to themselves as the X-MEN."  
  
A/N: Please review-I have, like, none! I need more reviews or I'll make long stretches between my update times. I may change the title, but I don't really have anything else in mind. Review, please!  
  
Next Chapter:  
  
The small band of teenage mutants eyed the spiky-haired protestors outside the CD store with an edible rage. They were all teenagers-about their age- holding up signs that protested against mutants.  
  
"Mutants must die!"  
  
"They're part of that hate group, aren't they?" whispered Neal to Bobby.  
  
Bobby took a deep breath before replying, "I think so." 


	5. Ace of Spades

X-MEN: Dawn of Destruction  
  
A/N: Is anyone going to review for this story?  
  
Last Chapter: Bobby deals with his feelings for Rogue as Gambit moves in on her. Kitty rounds up a gang to go to the mall. Storm has a heart-to- heart with Zee and Cyclops is kidnapped by the New Brotherhood.  
"Ace of Spades"  
An hour later, Rogue found herself sitting at a table in her own, personal hell-hole. The food court at the mall. It wasn't that she didn't like the mall-she just didn't like the little giggling teenyboppers (like Kitty) who inhibited it. Kitty, Jubilee, Psylocke, and Amara had run off to examine hand-bags that were half-off at some preppy store, so Rogue found herself seated at a table with Bobby, Neal, Gambit, and Danielle.  
  
"So, is THIS what you guys do for fun?" Danielle asked with subtle un- taste that it almost sounded like disdain.  
  
"When we're not protecting the world from evil", Rogue answered smartly, winking at the glowering girl.  
  
Thunderbird smirked smartly and laughed, "Which means we're here every Saturday since Professor X and Cyclops never let us do anything!"  
  
Rogue rolled her eyes, "Neal, we're not experienced enough yet- obviously."  
  
"I am." He answered smartly, crossing his arms.  
  
"Then why did I see you go flying into the main gates this afternoon when your powers surged out of control, monami?" Gambit asked, flicking a playing card upward with the flip of his wrist.  
  
Neal blushed at their laughter when suddenly an enormous uproar broke out across the food court. Bobby, who had remained silent for most of the afternoon (except for the occasional glare towards Gambit) stood quickly, "What is that?"  
  
Rogue turned her head swiftly in time to see a large, white sign jut upward from the crowd of spectator's heads. She squinted so that she could make out the small, neat black writing scrawled across the poster board that was connected to a long, brown board:  
  
MUTANTS MUST DIE  
  
LEAVE THE WORLD IN PEACE  
  
GO TO YOUR OWN UNIVERSE  
  
"Hey ya'll, it's some punks that think they can speak out against us!" she stood quickly, and Gambit followed. She balled her slender hands into fists and bit her lips nervously. Bobby, Neal, and Danielle were already tearing across the food court (much like the other teens that had been eating) to examine what was going on.  
  
The small band of teenage mutants eyed the spiky-haired protestors outside the CD store with edible rage. They were all teenagers-about their age-holding up various signs that protested against mutants. They all had on white T-Shirts that had a crossed out planet on the front and said "Mutants don't belong here", and they were ranting about how mutants were everywhere.  
  
"They shop in our malls! Do we really want mutant freaks walking among us-in the mall? They could be ringing up your purchases-how comforting is that?"  
  
"Mutants must die!"  
  
"They're part of that hate group, aren't they?" whispered Neal to Bobby.  
  
Bobby took a deep breath before replying, "I think so."  
  
"But they're only teenagers!" Danielle seethed into his ear, "How could they be a part of H.S.A.M.F?"  
  
Bobby shook his head and shrugged slightly, "Hitler had those little teenage Nazis in training-why not a current group that hates people because they are different?"  
  
Danielle shook her head in disappointment, "Let's have a little fun with them." A creepy smirk crawled across her face as she jammed two fingers into her temple and outstretched her right hand. She closed her eyes-and before Bobby could stop her, the dozen of teenage protestors' signs went flying out of their grasp and crashing into the opposite wall of the food court. Moonstar had used her mind to yank the offensive signs away from the selfish protestors.  
  
"Danielle!" Bobby yelped in a whisper.  
  
"Who do you think you are?"  
  
The trio turned quickly to see who had the nerve to actually stick up for the mutants. Bobby's gut sunk-but he wasn't surprised-to find Gambit glaring at them angrily, "Answer my question!"  
  
"They're among us right now!" screamed one of the protestors, "They just used their little mind powers to steal our signs!"  
  
"You have no right. . ." Gambit began shoving through the crowd.  
  
"GAMBIT! NO!" Neal screamed.  
  
"Why do you even care?" asked a particularly annoying looking boy with blond hair, "Are YOU one of them?"  
  
Gambit smirked, and Bobby watched in terror as he pulled an ace of spades from his card deck, "As a matter of fact-I am."  
  
A filter of gasps resounded throughout the crowd and they began to back up slowly.  
  
"Wanna see what my power is?"  
  
The card began to glow-a slow, light pink fluorescence echoing off Remy LeBeau's face. The annoying blond kid screamed angrily and backed away into his teammates, "You're crazy."  
  
"I know", Gambit smirked.  
  
"Remy, stop it now!" Rogue screamed from the back of the crowd.  
  
Before she could get another word out, a large explosion from up front sent her flying backward. She was stopped rudely by a nearby bench jutting into her back. Her eyes fluttered shut to the sounds of screaming bystanders.  
  
Neal was swept off of his feet and sent flying over the railing leading down to the first floor. He screamed, waiting for the bone- crushing blow to end his terror. But, before he could fee his bones snap and bend, he was weightlessly dancing about twenty feet above the tile below. He looked up to see Danielle reaching out to him-holding him with her mind. Slowly, he levitated back upward.  
  
People began shrieking louder as flames erupted throughout the CD store. Bobby took a deep breath and exhaled-ice went spewing over the crying flames, and in a matter of minutes they were flattened out to a group of unconscious bystanders including Rogue.  
  
"MUTANTS!"  
  
Dozens of screams echoed throughout the mall, and the protestors glared at the five of them angrily as they began to run away. Bobby glared at Gambit, then scooped Rogue's limp body into his arms and began to run.  
  
"Dani and Neal-find the others and get out of here!" He and Gambit began to race for the escalator.  
  
On the way down, Rogue woke up and fought out of Iceman's grip so that she was back on her feet. Once they were on ground level, all three of them began running again.  
  
"Remy-that was really stupid of you!" Rogue scolded as they raced for the parking lot, leaving the screams and teammates behind them.  
  
"Come on, Rogue", he smirked, "You know they didn't deserve to be saying all that crap. I just put them in their place is all."  
  
Rogue shut her eyes in concentration, "Remy-I WAS hurt in that explosion!"  
  
Finally, they stopped to catch their breath when they were almost out of the mall's enormous parking lot. Gambit put a trembling hand on Rogue's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I'm a little scared myself. That explosion wasn't supposed to be so big-I swear it. And I would never want you to get hurt."  
  
Rogue smiled slightly. He was too cute to turn down. Before she could do anything, his lips met hers. As soon as his tongue brushed her lips, a scream of pain erupted.  
  
And he was on the ground, gasping for air.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The Blackbird made its final descent as the Xavier Institute's basketball court opened from both sides to the dark lair beneath.  
  
"We are here", Storm observed, smiling gently at Zee, who was peering out the window nervously.  
  
"Where I come from-basketball courts just don't open up like that", Zee replied, a little frightened.  
  
Storm smiled again and responded with, "Leave everything you knew behind-you're going to love it here. You belong."  
  
Zee forced a smile. In truth, she was extremely scared of this place. She didn't want to be at Xavier School for the Gifted-but she didn't want to be out wandering the streets of Compton either. She ran her thin, ebony fingers through her long midnight black hair and took a deep breath as Nightcrawler finally landed the jet completely.  
  
"Well, here we are", came his heavily-accented voice from up front.  
  
Storm pressed a button on the side of the control panel and a small stairwell descended to the ground. Zee grabbed her duffel bag full of random necessities and began to walk down. She took a deep breath at her new life that was about to sweep her old one by storm.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Through the screeching chaos of the mall, Danielle could barely make out the girls huddled together near an accessories display in some store with glowing red letters in its name. Jubilee was clutching Kitty for dear life. Psylocke was looking around, puzzled, as Amara attempted to calm all the girls down.  
  
"Kitty!" yelled Neal from behind Danielle.  
  
The young, thin girl looked up quickly to see her two fellow students beckoning her over through the crowds of screaming parents and teens. She quickly gathered the rest of the girls beside her and sprinted toward the two.  
  
"What's going on?" Kitty asked, breathlessly.  
  
Danielle took a deep breath, "Gambit screwed everything up-I'll explain when we get out of here-come on!"  
  
"Ugh!" Jubilee gasped, disgustedly, "He's going to pay for ruining this sale of Cabrini bracelets!"  
  
"Just come on", Neal snapped, clenching her hand and yanking the young Asian mutant forward.  
  
The six mutants began racing through the throngs of panicking people, "There's mutants among us!"  
  
"They're attacking!"  
  
Amara grunted in pain as a rushing woman slammed into her and knocked her to the ground. Neal quickly slid beside her and grappled her to her feet, "Are you okay?"  
  
"I think so", the young girl mumbled, embarrassed, as she brushed herself off.  
  
Before the band of racing mutants got any further, a mob of uniformed mall security blocked off the nearest three exits. One tall, muscular security guard with an extremely ugly haircut yelled, "Do not let them get out of here!"  
  
A rush of uniformed guards raced toward them. They apparently recognized Danielle and Neal as two of the mutants who had struck earlier. The younger girls gaped in amazement at the onslaught of police officers.  
  
"You guys get out of here", Danielle ordered, pointing toward an open exit, across the mall in Dillard's, "Neal-you stay with me-I don't think my telekinesis can hold them all!"  
  
Neal nodded and made sure that the rest of the girls made it toward the other exit.  
  
"Watch out for the rest-make sure they get out", Neal whispered to Kitty before they took off, "Especially Amara!"  
  
Kitty nodded and began shoving the younger girls forward. Danielle turned back toward the incoming security guards. Where did Bobby and Gambit get off just leaving her and Neal? Why were they taking the heat for Gambit's mistake, while he was out (safe) in the parking lot?  
  
Danielle outstretched her hand and smirked mischievously as a nearby pretzel display toppled over and took out the first crowd of officers. The one with the bad haircut glared angrily at her and fumbled with a pistol in his holster. Before his clumsiness could fully overtake him-Danielle concentrated and sent him flying backward.  
  
He landed with a dull thud in a nearby phone booth. Danielle concentrated through the light black bangs that tumbled into her face from her loose ponytail and sent another crowd of officers onto their backs.  
  
"What are you?" one of the cops yelped.  
  
"My name is Danielle Moonstar", she seethed as she knocked over a hat display that landed on top of him, "But you can call me Dani."  
  
Meanwhile, Neal had taken out another group with a blast of energetic fire from the sun. The cops struggled to cover themselves from the blazing flames, but ended up hitting the ground-hard. Danielle smacked him a high- five and the pair took off running past the groaning security guards and out the nearest exit.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The sun beat down angrily on the sand of Crystown Beach in Santa Monica, California. It was definitely not a place you would expect to see a bald, wheelchair bound man in a black dress suit and a large, muscular black-haired man dressed in baggy black pants and a matching jacket.  
  
"I can feel him-very close", Professor Xavier murmured, looking around at the bikini-laden blondes and ripped surfers, "There."  
  
His cohort on their mission to recruit this new teenage mutant for the gifted school, Beast turned quickly to see a cut young blond with his head balanced in his hands. Professor X had discovered this young mutant back in the Cerebro II incident. His parents-of course-had been okay with it, but he couldn't last much longer at his school. His powers to create portals to go back to any point in time were spinning out of control- snatching him from the present in between classes.  
  
Davis Cameron looked up at the two mutants as if they were aliens. When they began to approach-warm, kind looks guiding their faces-he stumbled to his feet and ran-disappearing into thin air as a portal claimed him before he got any further. Gasps and shrieks filtered the air and Professor X looked up at Beast.  
  
"I know where he is going."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
When Cyclops woke up, he found that his eyes were covered in some heavy-metallic device. He instinctively reached upward, but his wrists were bound to the arms of a chair. He groaned angrily-struggling to remember what had happened. He had fallen off of his motorcycle-gotten his ass kicked by a gang of mutants. And that breath-God that awful breath. His memory flooded back slowly after that-as he remembered willingly following the soothing voice that had a command over him. Obviously that woman who had squared him down had power-through that rank breath-to make anyone her slave.  
  
Where am I?  
  
He wanted desperately to pry the metallic blindfold from his eyes-he couldn't see and he was panicking. A loud creak was heard from his left, and the young mutant gasped as something heavy smashed into the back of his head.  
  
"Well, well, well", came a familiar, dark, resounding voice, "If it isn't Professor Xavier's favorite little mutant", he was greeted by another blow to the head, "Guess who?"  
  
"Magneto!" Cyclops murmured with dreadful disdain.  
  
"Right", came the amused response. Magneto smiled as he gripped the crow bar with his magnetic powers, he slammed it into the back of Cyclops's head for good measure and said, "The first step in our plan is done. I just wanted it to be known that you were kidnapped by ME", he followed with a mocking laugh, "So now I'll have Methane work on you while Mystique and I free the next STEP in our plan." He laughed again, and then Cyclops could hear him leave and some heavy, leather boots stomp in.  
  
"Don't even try to focus on shooting me", came a female voice, "The headband we provided around your eyes cuts off your power until you are once again under my control."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
There was a slight giggle, "I thought I told you the first time. My name is Methane-and you are my slave."  
  
The horrible smell clenched his nostrils once more and he could feel her hands race through his hair, massaging his scalp. Her lips brushed his ear as more of the sickening stench clogged his nose.  
  
"Bet you're wondering what my power is", she said sexily, "I was blessed to have breath that could KILL."  
  
"Sounds more like you need a tic-tac than you are a mutant."  
  
Cyclops was slapped across the face angrily, "I can CONTROL it you sick bastard! When I need a slave-like you-a power like this can come in handy."  
  
Cyclops felt his mind wash away like sand on a high tide. He swallowed, but his throat hurt. His mind became disoriented and he couldn't think straight. Where am I? What's going on with Rogue? I'm going to kill Wolverine! His thoughts flew angrily before the thin, taut whisper trickled into his ear.  
  
"Kill the X-MEN."  
  
Cyclops straightened at attention as the slim fingers forced their way through his hair some more, "What are we going to do?"  
  
"Kill the X-MEN", was his monotone reply, "Kill the X-MEN, Master. . ."  
  
A/N: Review!  
  
Next Chapter:  
  
The Brotherhood goes through with Mr. Sinister's escape and plots against the X-MEN.  
  
The young mutants face the consequences of their actions.  
  
Professor X chases a troubled mutant.  
  
Storm, Zee, and Nightcrawler finally get some action. 


	6. Mayhem at the Mall

X-Men  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
A/n: Okay, you guys, this story is not getting any reviews! If you are reading this right now-review please! If you flame tell me why or else I'll be pissed. Thanks.  
  
Last Chapter: After causing an explosion with his kinetic energy in the mall, Gambit flees with Iceman and Rogue. Once at safety, he kisses Rogue and collapses. Inside the chaotic mall, Moonstar and Thunderbird took on a fleet of mall police as well as the H.S.A.M.F. teenage staff and now all five mutants are on the run. Storm, Zee, and Nightcrawler return to the Institute and Cyclops is manipulated by Methane's powers.  
  
"Mayhem at the Mall"  
  
"Oh mah GOD!" gasped Rogue, clasping her mouth with her hand, "Oh mah God!"  
  
Gambit lie before her on his back-his eyes looked upward warily and small plights of smoke were drifting from his mouth. He sputtered and gasped for breath, sucking in as much air as he could before his chest collapsed again.  
  
"What happened?" Bobby asked, shoving aside his jealousy as he made his way over and grasped Rogue's shoulder.  
  
Rogue felt the tears slice down her cheeks, "He kissed me-I didn't mean to hurt him! It's not mah fault-he kissed me!"  
  
Bobby fell to his knees and jammed two of his fingers into Gambit's pressure point. Gambit sucked in a shaky breath and swallowed through an achy throat.  
  
"He's still got a pulse", the Iceman confirmed, looking up at Rogue, who was wiping streaking tears from her face; "I think he'll be alright."  
  
Rogue winced as she was brushed from behind. Kitty, Jubilee, Psylocke, and Magma stumbled forward. Rogue whimpered and stroked some of the renegade tears from her face.  
  
"What's wrong?" Kitty asked, true concern etched in her eyes as she reached out for Rogue.  
  
Rogue shrieked, "DON'T TOUCH ME!"  
  
The girl with the white-streaks running through her hair backed away from five pairs of eyes that stared at her with what? Judgment? Sorrow? Sympathy?  
  
"Ah might hurt ya", she murmured to herself as she clutched her robed arms.  
  
Bobby stared at her for a couple more seconds before turning to the rest of the girls, "Where's Neal and Danielle?"  
  
Gambit murmured in response from his spot on the ground. He looked up through hazy eyes. Damn, were they still at the mall? It seemed like he had been unconscious forever. He looked over at Rogue-the poor thing was looking at him with tears welling in her eyes. He made eye contact with her and winked-just so she would know everything was okay.  
  
"They're still inside", Jubilee answered, panic sweeping over her, "Now will someone tell me what is going on?"  
  
"Wise guy down there", Bobby pointed down to where Gambit was slowly making his way to his feet, "decided that it would be fun if he blew up some teenage hate group. The mall caught on fire and now we are in BIG trouble."  
  
"Great going", Psylocke snapped, crossing her arms.  
  
Gambit finally got to his feet, rubbing the back of his head, "Ah shove it, Betsy. It ain't all my fault. Bobby-boy over there used his powers too."  
  
"To put out the destruction YOU caused!" Bobby snapped in return.  
  
Gambit shrugged and looked over at Rogue, "Now to the matter at hand- what the hell happened when I kissed you. I mean, I've heard of seeing fireworks during a first kiss, but never going into a coma."  
  
Rogue looked at her feet. She knew he was just trying to lighten the mood, but it wasn't funny. Not after the incident that summer-when she had put the poor boy in her room into a coma for almost a year. She took a deep breath and crossed her arms, "Ah don't know what happened-you caught me off guard. My power is to take energy from your ability and use it at my will. Ah've never had somebody react that harshly to kissin' me before."  
  
"Wimp", Bobby coughed, glancing over at the puzzled Gambit.  
  
At least when they were going out he could actually withstand her kisses-he didn't collapse like a punk. Rogue glared at him angrily and turned herself away from the group.  
  
"So where are Neal and Dani?"  
  
Before anyone could answer, a long, blinding streak of fiery light raced across the parking lot. The mutants ducked and braced themselves as a mild explosion sent them stumbling back. Bobby smirked as Rogue toppled on top of him and he steadied her balance. From the rubble of nearby asphalt, Neal poked his head up with a smile and Danielle looked as if she were about to be sick.  
  
"Neal-how many times has the Professor told you to gain more control over your power before you use it?" Bobby scolded.  
  
Neal just smiled and got to his feet, "Ah, shut-up good little icicle boy. It got us out of there fast since we had NO BACK-UP." The tall, muscular Indian boy glared at Bobby, Rogue, and Gambit. Amara broke out of the group and embraced him, adding a peck to his cheek.  
  
"I was worried", she said, as he returned the hug, "I thought you were hurt-or worse."  
  
Danielle stumbled to her feet and made her way toward Gambit with a pissed-off look smothering her face, "You stupid punk! Do you know how much trouble you could've gotten us into?"  
  
"You mean the trouble he DID get us into?" Neal snapped angrily.  
  
Gambit put his hands up in mock fear, "Oh now what? Are they gonna picket sign their way around me? I am sooo scared."  
  
Danielle clenched her fists. Bobby grabbed her shoulders just before she fought the urge to charge and slam her fists into that cocky Cajun's face. Rogue stood in front of the smirking patron.  
  
"Ya'll need to calm down", Rogue said, "We've all had mistakes with our powers before!"  
  
"I can't believe that you're sticking up for him!" Bobby snapped.  
  
"Shut-up, Bobby", Kitty yelled, "You're just mad because Rogue is moving on and you're still stuck on her!"  
  
Bobby blushed crisply as Rogue eyed him over and crossed her arms.  
  
"The explosion wasn't supposed to be that big", Gambit tried to assure them, "It was just supposed to be a spark-to shut 'em up. I didn't mean to set the whole mall on fire."  
  
"See?" Rogue snapped.  
  
"And you believe him because?" Psylocke sneered.  
  
Before another word could be interpreted, the gang of frightened mutants began screaming at each other. Bobby, Danielle, Neal, Psylocke, and Amara were screaming about how irresponsible Kitty, Rogue, and Jubilee were being for sticking up for Gambit. Just as the argument was heating up, a familiar, silver van pulled up beside them. A large, red X crossed the side.  
  
The window rolled down and Wolverine poked his head out, "Well, Red, you were right. These little punks were up to no good. Get in the car- NOW!" In the passenger side seat, Bobby could make out Rachel sitting, cross-legged.  
  
"You ratted on us?" Kitty accused as she crawled into a seat next to Jubilee.  
  
Rachel peered back, offended, "No-I just had a vision, and a feeling that something was wrong. So I told the nearest supervisor I could find, which happened to be Wolverine."  
  
"What happened?" came Wolverine's gruff, angry voice from the front seat.  
  
Everyone began yelling at once and Rachel had to close her eyes just to keep her train of thought.  
  
"SHUT-UP!" Wolverine screamed as he turned the van angrily, "Now, Bobby-boy, tell me what happened."  
  
"Well", began Iceman, glancing at Gambit in his accomplishment. He proceeded to tell the whole story, exaggerating the explosion, and then went on to tell how the H.S.A.M.F. now knew him, Rogue, Gambit, Danielle, and Neal by face.  
  
Rachel turned around and glanced angrily at the skinny, muscular mutant, "Why did you do that?"  
  
Gambit rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. He was sick of all these questions. Why was everyone always asking for initiative behind his acts? Why couldn't they just leave him alone?  
  
Wolverine peeled out of the mall parking lot angrily-the silence piercing the inside. Little did they know that behind them, a long, white van was tracking their every move.  
  
A/n: Okay, everything I said would happen in this chapter will happen next chapter, k? Uh, review, cuz this story has only five reviews and I was hoping for more. 


	7. Cold Feet

X-Men  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
Last Chapter: Wolverine and Rachel pick up Iceman, Rogue, Gambit, and the others from the mall-unaware that they are being followed back to the mansion.  
  
"Cold Feet"  
  
"This will be your room", Storm said, slowly shoving open the soundless, oak door, "Go ahead and get yourself unpacked. You may come down whenever you are ready."  
  
As soon as Storm had let Zee in she was gone. The young girl glanced around the room slowly. It was big enough-bigger than her room back at home. Detracting away the fact that she would probably have to be sharing it with somebody; Zee set her duffel bag down in amusement. The curtains were open, spilling in the sunshine that was only beginning to fall into the sky and splash it with pink pastels and other light colors. She took a seat on the foot of the nearest bed and took a deep, shuddering breath.  
  
Do I really belong here?  
  
The girl wasn't completely sure if this was the right decision. Should she really be cut off from the rest of the world just because she was different? She wasn't going to hurt anybody-she would never do that. Not unless they were causing her or her family harm. Like that night at the movies. . .  
  
She had been hanging out with two of her friends just before going home to the Cerebro II nightmare. Some player had come up, groping her like she were his girl, so she pushed him off. He had shoved her up against the wall and tried to put his hand up her shirt.  
  
"What's wrong baby. . ."  
  
She tried to block the sight out of her mind. She had been so afraid- so frightened. The next thing she knew, there were no hands clutching her. He had disappeared. He was gone. She had ran home-crying-where the rest of the evening's events unfolded.  
  
Zee snapped back to reality as a slight breeze brushed past the window. She began to unpack what little belongings she had. She shoved her five tank-tops and three pairs of jeans into a top drawer and set her Zip-loc bag of toiletries on the dresser. That's when the slam of a door below caught her attention. The peace and quiet of the large mansion was drowned out as what sounded like thousands of excited voices chirped quickly.  
  
"Enough!" came one, distinct gruff voice from the pack, "I want all of you up in your dorm rooms now! Once Storm and I have decided what to do with you we'll call you back down."  
  
The talking ceased, and footsteps began pounding up the stairs. Zee froze, holding her breath. She didn't dare open the door. Was her roommate one of the students that had been sent up? Zee didn't think she was ready to have a run-in with her roommate just yet-she still needed time to interact with the environment and develop a feeling for her surroundings.  
  
Unfortunately, the doorknob to her room twisted and the door flung inward. . .  
  
A skinny, tall red-headed girl entered the room and stopped as she eyed over Zee. Her large, green eyes softened as she flicked a strand of crimson hair from her face, "Hey-uh, are you my roommate?"  
  
"I guess", Zee murmured, standing up and offering her hand, "I'm Zee."  
  
The red-head smiled and took her hand, "Hi Zee, my name is Rachel Summers-I'm a telepath."  
  
"So, what's going on?" Zee asked inquiringly, "Why is everyone in so much trouble? I heard that yell from up here."  
  
"Oh", Rachel replied, realization flickering in her eyes, "You mean Wolverine-some of the younger ones went to the mall and caused a BIG problem-let me tell you. I wasn't with them-thank God. I'm old enough to be in college, so 'hanging' with them just isn't my style, you get me? Anyway, one of them (a real cocky one I might add) caused a huge explosion in the mall and nearly got all of them caught. It's pricks like him that give mutants like us", she sat down at a desk near the window and opened a book as if she were studying, "look bad."  
  
Zee sighed, "Wow."  
  
"I know-a lot of information to process", Rachel laughed, crossing her leather-clad legs, "Anyways, don't worry, you'll fit right in. Today is my first day here too-it's actually not that bad."  
  
Rachel seemed a little confident, and kind of snobby, but Zee decided she was okay. She was almost twenty, so she looked down on most of the other students and practically considered herself one of the true X-Men. Her hair was pretty, Zee decided, nice and shiny, clasping her shoulders and framing a pretty, pale face.  
  
Zee ran her fingers through her own, fine silk black hair and tumbled backward onto the bed. She was extremely tired. This was all a lot to process in the span of two days. Discovering you have a mutant power, being kicked out of your home, and brought to a mutant-training facility overnight was kind of exhausting.  
  
As Rachel peered at the small print in her college-level text-book, the young, tired mutant drifted into soundless snores.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Beast felt a strange, wild sensation of nothingness as Professor X raised his hands and clenched his fist. Before he could even tell what was going on, his booted feet were digging into white sands that were glowing in an eerie twilight from the sparkling moon.  
  
Wild, salty waves lapped angrily in the slight, yet wild breezes. As he squinted, he could make out the same young, blond-headed boy comfortable on a large, outstretched rock which was laden in seaweed. He looked back and made them out, a look of panic surged through his face. He looked as if he was going to grab his board and disappear again, but as he stumbled to his feet, he stopped and turned to face them again.  
  
"Where are we?" Beast asked, running his hands through his human hair.  
  
Professor X smiled solemnly, "The northern coast of Hawaii. He always comes here when he's feeling alone. Of course, right now we are back in 1965 right now-when there wasn't a resort built only two feet away and it was a tourist site."  
  
"You mean-he can go anywhere in any time period?" Beast asked, puzzled.  
  
"Yes, and right now, we are not in the present", the Professor said, feeling as if he had to break it down for his comrade, "I told him we are here to help him, and that is why he stopped", he said, sensing Beast's next inquiry.  
  
The boy's taut, bright blue eyes glazed over the two that neared him slowly, "It's okay, Davis. We are not here to hurt you."  
  
The wind whipped the boy's wild, wavy blond hair and he said, "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Professor Xavier-and I run the Xavier Academy for the Gifted", professed the smiling bald man, "And I have noticed you-with no place to go."  
  
The boy stumbled forward, "What are you? Some type of stalker?"  
  
"No-only a watcher", the professor explained, smiling at the boy's look of puzzled-ness, "And I have been watching you for a long time now. I know that you call yourself Slipstream and that you can pass back and forth through time and place. Take my hand", he reached out and smiled, "I can show you a place where you will belong. Where you will be happy."  
  
"I'm not into all this Matrix stuff", the boy dropped his board and lifted his hands, "And why do you want me to hold your hand? Now I know why your school is special." He grabbed his board and turned, leaving the Professor and Beast to stare at a lost prospect. He disinigrated into a purple-like portal quickly.  
  
"What do we do know?"  
  
Professor Xavier didn't even bother to glance up at his friend, "We wait."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Sergeant Howard Michaels flickered his steely eyes throughout the military base. His rifle stood obediently at his side in the still, cool night. He glanced over at what he was in charge of. Low-rank security guards. Twenty-years, in the service, only to be put in charge of some under-paid, over-worked security guards who could probably care less if anyone broke inside the experimental lab and took out that mutant.  
  
Michaels remembered nearly ten years ago. The pale, white-faced, burning-red-eyed mutant inside had tried destroying Croatia, to show the world that he was the boss. He called himself Mister Sinister, and he had taken out almost all of Croatia's population and economic needs. An international agreement had been settled that the United States military base would take him in and test on him until his death. It was probably better that he was in charge of these low-rank losers anyhow. If he wasn't, anyone could just stroll on inside.  
  
Working the graveyard shift didn't even phase his home-life. He wasn't married and he didn't have kids.  
  
Turned into just what I frowned upon as a kid.  
  
A workaholic, unmarried, middle-aged loser.  
  
He smiled at a passing officer-much higher in rank than he. That's right, he thought, smile like his little pet. Michaels watched as he was followed by a young Asian woman who he thought was pretty hot, some loser who was wearing sunglasses (even though it was the nighttime), and an old, white-haired man dressed in purple.  
  
He watched as Supervising Officer Ryans saluted the nearby cadets and entered the building. Michaels had no idea why the officer was going inside so late at night-but he was in command and it was none of the Sergeant's business.  
  
The inside of the lab was dark and musty. Mystique frowned beneath her bearded disguise. Those foolish humans outside actually thought she was their commanding officer. She slowly melted away into her true, blue, scaly form. Methane, Magneto, and Cyclops followed behind.  
  
Mystique had to admit-at first Methane annoyed the hell out of her. She hated that another woman had joined the Brotherhood and could've taken place as Magneto's favorite. But, she had to give the young girl appreciation for whipping Cyclops into shape. He did whatever she told him, whenever she told him. The fact that he was Mister Sinister's worst enemy only made it all more ironic. Once Mister Sinister saw that they had Cyclops on a leash, he would join them. He was an expert mutant killer-and Mystique had a good feeling that he would join them, making it only easier to defeat the X-Men.  
  
She turned the corner to find a guard staring at her. His mouth gawked open just before a long, slender blue leg shot out and snapped his jaw. He hit the floor with a dull thud. That's when all the lights went out. Mystique smiled as she was a mass of twirling arms and legs. Surge had cut the lights for the perfect amount of time-because when they came back on, every guard was lying, bruised and beaten, on the floor.  
  
Up ahead was a small, dark cell. She smirked as she looked inside. Mister Sinister's slumped figure was pale, short black hair still chopped to perfection. He turned, his eyes burning in their glowing red color. She could make out his mouth twist into a smirk, "Mystique. . ."  
  
He had tried to kill her years ago. His clan, the Marauders, had been sent to destroy the shape-shifting creature. She had survived the ordeal, and then joined Magneto and the Brotherhood. She smiled smugly- everything was behind her now-a part of her past. She crossed her arms and switched her hips, "Yeah, it's me. I've come to get you out of here."  
  
Suddenly the bars twisted in grotesque angles. Magneto twisted his fist angrily until the metal bars split and Mister Sinister slowly crawled out. He glanced over at Cyclops and anger penetrated through his eyes, "Magneto-what the hell is he doing here?"  
  
Methane smiled and groped her pet, "He's on our side now", she blew a breath into his face, "Aren't you baby?"  
  
"Yes, Master", Cyclops answered mechanically.  
  
Mister Sinister glanced at them all in amusement. Mystique smiled at how pathetic the X-Men's leading man looked, taking orders from a woman half his age. Mister Sinister glanced at them all in approval and said, "What do you want?"  
  
"Talk to me", Magneto said, smirking slightly as the Brotherhood slowly exited the premises through the back, just a screeching alarm went off.  
  
By the time Michaels and his crew made it inside, the only sign left of intrusion was the menacing, twisted metal bars that bordered the empty jail cell.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Wolverine sat, arms crossed, on the kitchen counter. Storm and Nightcrawler sat before him, Nightcrawler sipping on a cup of tea and Storm shutting her eyes in concentration every so often. Wolverine had filled them both in on how the students had maimed the mall. Luckily nobody was killed-a couple of security guards had broken limbs, but other than that, everything was okay.  
  
"So Remy just blew it up?" Storm was still trying to grasp the full concept, "Just like that?"  
  
Wolverine shook his head in disappointment, "Yep."  
  
"And then he, Bobby, and Rogue", Storm started, "Just ran off and left Danielle and Neal to fend for themselves?"  
  
"I don't think they knew that the security guards were going to attack, but yeah, that's pretty much what happened."  
  
Storm closed her eyes once again in concentration, "Well, now the teenage chapter of the H.S.A.M.F. knows their faces and if they find out where the school is-it could be their next target."  
  
"Vell I don't think Kitty, Jubilee, Amara, or Betsy should be punished", Nightcrawler put in, "I think they vere just trying to shop."  
  
Storm nodded, "For the next two months, the other five will simply have to clean the Danger Room."  
  
"And shine my boots", Wolverine added.  
  
"And they should have to wash the Blackbird for the next six months", Nightcrawler added, "That vas very dangerous vhat they did-the punishment cannot be light."  
  
"I agree", Storm replied, "So their punishment is two months of Danger Room duty, six months of cleaning the Blackbird, and doing Logan's laundry?"  
  
Nightcrawler and Wolverine nodded. Storm took a deep breath and slightly slouched back in her seat, "Don't call them down just yet-let's just enjoy these sacred moments of peace."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Psylocke took a deep breath as she watched Danielle pace around the room. Jubilee sat next to her, munching on some popcorn. Amara and Kitty were thumbing through some teen magazine, drooling over the latest cutie. As soon as Wolverine had sent them all up to their rooms, the rest of the girls-besides Rogue-had met up in hers and Danielle's dorm.  
  
"I'm sure it'll be okay", Psylocke tried to convince her worried friend.  
  
Danielle shuddered, "It's my first day and I'm already screwed! I'll bet none of the other students here act as irresponsible as we did!"  
  
"Don't worry about it", Psylocke murmured, digging into Jubilee's bag of buttered popcorn.  
  
"Yeah", Jubilee munched through bits of flying butter, "Wolvy is cool- he won't go too hard on you."  
  
"Sure", agreed Kitty, from her seat next to Amara, "You're lucky it wasn't Cyclops who caught you-then you'd be in trouble. I remember this one time, when. . ."  
  
Psylocke ignored the rest of what seemed like a pointless story to put a reassuring hand on Danielle's pacing shoulder, "Please, do not worry about it. Seriously, you had to get out of the mall-they weren't gonna let you go."  
  
"I guess you're right", Danielle said, taking a seat on the bed next to her friend, "It wasn't my fault. Everything is going to be o-kay."  
  
Her last remark was swallowed up as Kitty blasted up the radio Psylocke had packed and brought to the school with her other belongings. Kitty and Amara jumped up and began dancing to some random boy band and Psylocke shot Moonstar a pained look of terror.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"Do ya'll think we're in trouble?" Rogue asked, playing with a strand of the long, white streak in her hair, "I mean, would Logan really go that hard on us?"  
  
"I don't know the guy", Gambit murmured, pulling out a cigarette and glaring at Neal, "Hey, solar-energy fire boy, give me a light."  
  
Thunderbird rolled his eyes from his spot at Iceman's desk, "First of all, there's no smoking allowed in the dorms. Second of all, it's nighttime, so where do you expect me to pull out my power? A hat?"  
  
Gambit sneered at him and shoved the cigarette back into its case and jammed the carton back into his pocket, "This place sucks."  
  
"Hey, it gave you a place to go", Bobby snapped, not bothering to look up from the Motocross magazine he was thumbing through.  
  
Gambit just rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. Rogue gripped Gambit's bedspread to relieve the tension that was racing through her veins. Thunderbird eyed over Gambit once more, before returning to a story he was hand-writing in his free time. Gambit sneered at him angrily then smirked over at Rogue.  
  
"Hey", he said into her ear so that Iceman couldn't hear, "Is there anybody in your room?"  
  
Rogue smiled at the prospect of being alone with Gambit. Kitty had gone into Psylocke's room to hang out with the rest of the girls. Gambit was such a rebel. He was misunderstood-just like her.  
  
Too bad I can't even touch him.  
  
Rogue shook her head and murmured, "Nope-ain't nobody in my room right now. 'Cept maybe you an' me."  
  
Gambit smiled. They both got up at the same time and made their way to the door. Bobby looked up from his magazine immediately. Rogue rolled her eyes-if he said anything she swore to herself that she would slap him. When was he going to let her go? She was over him.  
  
Right?  
  
She shoved the thoughts from her mind and grabbed the doorknob. He needed to stop playing over-protective ex-boyfriend. Did he think he was some kind of hero because he had caught her in the parking lot earlier when Neal's powers had gone out of control? She rolled her eyes and yanked the door open.  
  
"Where are you two going?" Bobby asked, his voice trembling-from anger most-likely.  
  
Gambit ignored the question and exited into the hall. Rogue turned and crossed her arms.  
  
"We're goin' to mah room, as if it's any of your business."  
  
"Uh-why?" Bobby asked, tossing his legs over the bed and throwing his magazine to the floor.  
  
"Because we can't possibly have sex in front of you two", Rogue joked, just to get under his skin.  
  
Bobby jumped up. Fear and anger was etched in those icy blue eyes and the room suddenly got extremely cold. Rogue smirked to herself.  
  
Works every time. "Whatsa matter, Frosty?" Gambit asked, glancing back into the room only to wrap his arm around Rogue's heavily clothed shoulder, "Your hands too cold to stroke the pointy icicle?"  
  
Rogue gasped to smother to laughter she felt coming on. She knew she shouldn't be laughing at such a perverse joke-especially when it was directed towards someone she was so close to, but she couldn't help it. Bobby's hands reverberated in anger, and the room got even colder. Neal gasped as the freeze took him over.  
  
"Later", Gambit said, leading Rogue out into the hallway.  
  
Bobby followed the two angrily. Gambit rolled his eyes and kept walking. Bobby glared at his enemy's retreating feet. He bent down and gently shoved his palm into the floor-concentrating all of his energy. Suddenly, a long, narrow, jagged line of glassy ice made its way slowly-yet rapidly-across the hardwood floor. It snaked along until it reached Gambit's feet. The ice worked its way around his left foot, then smiled around his right. Gambit grunted in annoyance as he could no longer move.  
  
"What the. . ." he turned awkwardly to glare at the Iceman, "You stupid punk!"  
  
He started talking quickly and angrily in Cajun. Rogue turned and threw daggers at Bobby with her eyes. Iceman smiled, shrugging, and retreating back to his room, leaving an angry ex-girlfriend and a cocky Cajun iced to the floor.  
  
Rogue stormed in after him, "What do you think you're doing?"  
  
Iceman ignored her and plastered himself across his bed, grabbing his magazine and thumbing through it again. Rogue grabbed her glove, preparing to yank it off and clench his face-watching his veins swell as she sucked all of his energy. She stopped herself before she could yank the first nylon strip off of her right arm.  
  
Control your temper.  
  
That's one thing you need to do with a power like yours-control your temper.  
  
Rogue gave one last disgusted glance at Bobby, who sat on his bed with one eyebrow arched in satisfaction. She turned and retreated back out into the hallway. Neal smirked and silently applauded his friend. Bobby listened as Gambit grunted in angry displeasure.  
  
It was music to his ears.  
A/n: Well, what did you think? Review! Next chapter will be up probably tomorrow or the next day. Does anybody know who created the Sentinels? I used to know, but I forgot, so could someone e-mail me or tell me in their review? Thanks-I'm planning to do my next story in this section about the Sentinels attacking. Next chapter will feature Synch and Polaris.  
  
Coming Soon:  
  
X-Men: The Movie Section:  
  
Operation: Zero Tolerance (Mid-June) 


	8. Crime and Punishment

X-Men  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
Last Chapter: Zee arrives at the school and gets acquainted with her roommate, Rachel. Magneto, Methane, Cyclops, Mystique, and Surge free Mister Sinister and he plans to bring his own teammates into the alliance. Professor Xavier and Beast struggle to recruit a new student and Bobby deals with his feelings toward Rogue and Gambit.  
  
""  
  
The rec room was eerily silent. The only sound was the soft, steady click of Storm's boots as she paced over the hardwood floor behind where the students were seated. She moved slowly over onto the carpet and looked steadily at the eighteen eyes that glanced worriedly back.  
  
Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Rachel stood behind her. Wolverine was leaning against the arm of the couch, Nightcrawler was sitting, and Rachel had a smug expression washed over her face as she crossed her arms. It had been quiet like this for nearly ten minutes until finally:  
  
"What you did today", Storm began, "Was very, very irresponsible. It was risky, dangerous, and overall threatening-not only to you-but to the school! Xavier has put everything he has into this school so that you could come here and attempt a normal education with a normal life! I am disappointed to even say I have anything to do with some of you right now" Storm eyed over Iceman, Rogue, Gambit, Moonstar, and Thunderbird, "Now, I will not delve deeper into what I really want to say-or else you would be here throughout the night. I'll just skip straight to your punishment."  
  
Danielle twittered her thumbs and took a deep breath. Gambit rolled his eyes and slung an arm around Rogue before Storm continued.  
  
"Everyone may leave", she stated, "except for Bobby, Rogue, Neal, Danielle, and Gambit."  
  
Kitty, Jubilee, and Amara squealed in relief and embraced each other before heading toward the foyer doors. Psylocke hung back, walking slowly for the stairwell. She shot Danielle a sympathetic glare and retreated to her room.  
  
"As for the rest of you", Storm distinctly snapped, "Danger Room duty for two months, Blackbird duty for six. You put the school in jeopardy so I figured you could take care of it. I do not want to hear any groans or complaints. If you feel that this punishment is unfair, wait until I leave before your run your mouths, because I guarantee if I hear a word, everything will get worse."  
  
A loud shriek of thunder blasted around the house, and Ororo Munroe stormed out of the room.  
  
"What about my laundry?" Wolverine hissed into Nightcrawler's ear.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Lorna Dane trudged angrily through the dirty snow of downtown Boston. Her loft apartment was only a couple of blocks away. Of course, it didn't really matter whether she returned home from the lab or not. All that mattered was that she get the clone finished. Mister Sinister had been plotting his escape from the military base for years now, and Lorna had been waiting faithfully working on the Jean Grey clone he had called Madelyn Pryor, ever since.  
  
Her blond hair swept angrily in the wind. Mister Sinister had recruited her two years ago after she had discovered her mutant ability to control anything that was metal-almost like a human magnet. They had then attacked Croatia, almost succeeding in taking over. Then, he had been put away-she had escaped, and decided to finish the clone on her own.  
  
She had a slight hunch as to why he wanted the clone to be Jean Grey. He was in love with her. She smiled at the surprise she had in store for him. She had heard through the Morlocks that Jean Grey-powerful telepath of the X-Men-had been killed in the Cerebro II incident at Alkali Lake. She had then gone south, to the freezing winter winds, and found the red- head lying lifeless on the lapping shore near a thick forest. It was all with the help of new mutant and friend, Metal Detector. He called himself Beep for short. He could program anything into his mind and find exactly where it was, giving out a loud, distinct beep when he found it.  
  
The two were almost best-friends, and had found the body together. Lorna wasn't surprised to find that there was no pulse in the slender, ivory neck. She was surprised, however, that the body was in such perfect condition. None of the skin had even decomposed-and after almost a year-it should have. Lorna then brought it back to her homemade lab in an abandoned basement below a church that she had named the Polaris Project, and began working on it.  
  
She had just been able to receive a small, weak, distant pulse. She had used her magnetic power to charge up two pyro-clastic wires she had stored beneath her desk and gently taped them through Jean's nose and mouth. Soon, her heartbeat was slowly beginning to thud-just like her identical clone's beside her.  
  
Polaris cursed as she slammed into her apartment angrily. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror next to the door. Strands of green were beginning to emerge from the blonde dye she had carefully constructed around her hair that very month.  
  
Why does this cheap hair-dye always fade?  
  
Why can't my hair just be a normal color?  
  
She hated the color green, and definitely didn't want her hair to be that color. She took a deep breath and slammed her book-bag on the floor near the door. She peered into the living room and gasped. Her roommate and best-friend, Beep, was sitting on the couch in between none other than Mister Sinister and her father.  
  
Magneto.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Professor X and Beast arrived in the large garage outside the X mansion, exhausted. It was nearly one o' clock in the morning, and they had been driving since five o' clock that afternoon. Storm could hear them clang their doors shut and the garage rattle noise-filled as it clambered downward.  
  
They were all sitting at the table-her, Wolverine, Nightcrawler, and Rachel. The children were upstairs in their room-hopefully asleep-but if not, they were talking quietly because Storm couldn't hear the usual midnight chatter.  
  
"How did it go?" Nightcrawler asked as Professor Xavier wheeled in with Beast at his side.  
  
Professor X shook his head, "He'll come around."  
  
Storm smiled.  
  
"Meanwhile, it's been a nightmare back here", Rachel added into the conversation.  
  
"We'll tell you about it tomorrow", Storm said, warily and getting up from her chair, "It's late right now and I need some sleep."  
  
The adult mutants quickly got out of their chairs at her lead and made their way upstairs before collapsing tiredly into their rightful beds.  
A/n: This chapter sucked, but I had to get it out of the way. Synch will be in the next chapter. Yes, Magneto is really Polaris's dad. After reading Mister Sinister's bio, I realized that there may be a possibility for Jean to be back in the story. I don't really like Rachel and the only reason I put her in here was because I couldn't put Jean cuz she died in the movie. . .if you think Rachel is annoying I'll try and find a way to get rid of her, but anyways, thanks for all your reviews and sorry this chapter is so short, but it's really late. 


	9. Phoenix Rising

X-Men  
  
Dawn of Destruction  
  
Last Chapter: Mister Sinister and Magneto recruit a new member for the Brotherhood and Beast and the Professor return home.  
  
Large, dark clouds rolled through the black, ebony night as lightning flashed angrily through the sky. Mister Sinister smiled, straightening the left cuff of his custom uniform. Polaris had kept it preserved in her lab- winged flaps on the back and all. Magneto, Mystique, and the rest of the Brotherhood-including their unwilling lapdog, Cyclops-made themselves comfortable on the long, stylish leather couch toward the left of the small, dark room.  
  
Polaris and Beep stood awkwardly to the side. Their master was finally home, and he had dragged in just the people she didn't want to be associated with. Her father and his lackeys. It was a surprise she even knew the man was her father-her mother was supposedly dead years ago, and Polaris could care less. She was doing just fine on her own. As soon as she had seen Mister Sinister and her father in the same room, she realized that the familiar green tint was beginning to return to her shoulder-length hair.  
  
Finally, as loud splats of rain smashed into the roof, Mister Sinister walked slowly toward the two, identical Jean Greys that were lying on the long, white platform-like surfaces next to each other. Madelyn Pryor's figure was much healthier looking, the short red hair flipped up stylishly, and her eyes still pursed shut. Jean's hair was damp, the bright red color rinsed from her hair after being personally stone-washed during the Alkali Lake incident.  
  
"Oh, Polaris", he murmured, looking up at her with a slight smile dashing across his lips, "You never fail me." He stroked a damp, red bang from Jean's eye, "Oh", he sighed longingly.  
  
Cyclops stood perfectly still above Methane. Magneto smirked at the irony of it all-they had just unveiled his love, whom he thought was dead, and all he could do was stand there under Methane's spell. Mystique noticed too, and let out a little giggle to show her pleasure.  
  
Mister Sinister bent over and let his lips brush across her forehead. Polaris smirked and met eyes with Beep, who's short, stylish black goatee was racing through the moonlight.  
  
"I never would have found her if it wasn't for Beep here", Polaris put in with a smile.  
  
Mister Sinister turned quickly and smiled at his two minions. He outstretched his hand toward Beep. Beep embraced it with his own and nodded quickly before the handshake was cut off. Polaris crossed her arms, "I wanted to wait until you got out."  
  
"For what?" Mister Sinister asked, amusement dancing wildly in his eyes.  
  
Polaris smiled and pulled a thin, wiry-like plug from below the platform Madelyn Pryor was perched on. In a matter of seconds, the Jean Grey prototype swung her legs over the table and arranged her pair of leather gloves into place.  
  
"For this", Polaris said with a smile, "Atoms and samples were taken from Jean's blood, molecular structure, and mind. Pryor has been modified and designed to serve under you-and only you, however she does have a mind of her own."  
  
Mister Sinister smiled as the red-headed clone got to her feet. She was just as beautiful as Jean, clad in a tight, leather zip-up jumpsuit tied around the same, thin, curving figure. She smiled slowly, the grin upturning over her cheeks. Mister Sinister smirked back angrily and offered his hand. Madelyn Pryor outstretched her own and took it before saying, "Is it time to kill the X-Men yet?" "This looks like the perfect beginning for a wonderful alliance", Magneto commented from his spot on the couch.  
  
Mister Sinister, Polaris, Beep, and Madeline Pryor turned to face him- the same plastered smirks playing over their faces. Mister Sinister was the first to speak.  
  
"Yes, it does."  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Pyro flicked his lighter on for the five hundredth time that evening. The small flame licked out wildly and he smiled at the thoughts of what he could do with it. Blob sat, lazily, in front of the television that was near the end of Magneto's stone lair.  
  
Why does Magneto treat us like such babies?  
  
Pyro angrily flicked another small, flickering flame from his custom lighter. He was old enough to help out. So far, this place was just like that old, boring Xavier dump. He and Blob were the same age-and they were always the ones getting left behind. Magneto was afraid they were going to mess up, or screw up his plans. How could they if he never gave them the chance?  
  
Pyro decided it was a bag of crap what Magneto had told him back on the Blackbird just before the Alkali Lake incident when they were in the back of the jet with Mystique.  
  
He could care less about us.  
  
Pyro angrily clutched his hands into cocky fists. Methane was only two years older than they were and Magneto was already brushing Mystique aside to make room for his new favorite. Surge was only four years older than Pyro and the Blob-and he had been out on missions over fifteen times since Pyro had been with the Brotherhood.  
  
It's just not fair.  
  
"Whoa", Blob stuttered from near the television set, "Look at this!"  
  
Pyro rolled his eyes and got to his feet slowly. Blob was probably drooling over some skinny, hot models that he would never have a chance with. Pyro was surprised what he found when he finally stumbled toward the television. A large explosion consumed what looked like the mall.  
  
A female newscaster's voice silkily made its way onto the scene, "At Bayville mall yesterday, mutants wreaked serious havoc, causing more than five thousand dollars worth of damage. Few were hurt, and the mutants got away after taking out the whole mall security task force. These three are believed to be the ones who caused the explosion." The streaming video froze on faces that made Pyro gasp. Iceman was leading Rogue and some other guy toward the escalator, "This video was taken courtesy of Amanda Gaines, who was a spectator at the mall that day. It is said that the mutants attacked after seeing a chapter of the H.S.A.M.F. protest against them. Onto other news, an elderly Illinois man swallowed his cat today. . ."  
  
Pyro took a deep breath. What was going on back at that school?  
  
He smirked deviously and flicked his lighter once more.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The long, narrow axe swooped downward noisily, like a hawk groping for its prey. Zee concentrated and jumped upward. She felt her feet plant into the wall as she began to race across it. She could make out a large, cannon-like gun forming from the wall behind Iceman.  
  
"Bobby!" Jubilee cried as she shot her plasma blasts at an oncoming, demon-looking creature, "Look out!"  
  
Zee concentrated on the icy-eyed boy in front of her. Just as the loud crack of the gun went of, he disappeared and landed hard on his back on the other side of the battlefield. Zee jumped downward, jump-kicking a large, deformed monster in the back of the head as it grappled in a struggle with Everett Scott, aka, Synch-the African-American mutant who could synch and use any other mutant's power-and also one of the first mutants to be-friend her at the Institute.  
  
"Thanks, Zee", he smirked, immediately beginning to gather waves of her genetic mutant energy.  
  
The two jumped over twenty feet to the nearest wall and ran across it, barely dodging a spike-shooting machine gun. Jubilee was not so lucky- two of the spikes tore into her yellow, leather jacket and tossed her backward, pinning her to the wall.  
  
What a rush, Zee thought, throwing herself off the wall so that she could deliver a spine-shattering blow to a spiky-haired demon mouse that was hassling Rachel. She spun quickly, grabbing a chain from a nearby gun that was spraying out chain-whips and yanking people backwards with them. She twirled gracefully through the air, slapping every opposing machine in sight with the violent, sharp chain.  
  
She yelped as a sharp pain smashed into her side. A long, red beam connected angrily with her bare midriff. Zee felt her body go flying backward. She tried to regain her concentration and defy gravity, but the wall was slamming into her back before she could scramble her mind together. Pain shattered through her spine as she hit the floor. She felt herself going upward quickly now.  
  
"Now what?" she asked herself.  
  
She looked down and realized that she was on a long, tall, narrow column that was flying upward. She looked above her to see another column just like it, racing back at her. Zee screamed, realizing her fate. The oncoming column suddenly froze, right above her head. Zee looked down to see Rachel give her a wink-her arm outstretched, holding the column in check with her telekinesis. Zee jumped out of the small spot she had just been in and flew above the ground gracefully.  
  
Gambit and Rogue were having a much harder time struggling to fend off long, metallic arms that grabbed at them from the wall. Gambit grabbed a card from his jacket pocket-three of clubs-and tossed it at the oncoming arm. It blew up in an explosion of kinetic fire and metal. He turned just in time to see Rogue fend one off with Jubilee's plasma blasts-her friend must have allowed her to take a little of her energy-but an arm wrapped itself around her waist from behind and lifted her off of her feet.  
  
"Gambit!" she cried, struggling to wrench herself free, "Help me!"  
  
Remy LeBeau yanked another card from his jacket pocket-this time a ten of diamonds-and threw it angrily. It cut into the weak metal, penetrating the fronting exterior to reveal twisted, colorful wires. Rogue screamed as she was dropped from mid-air. Thunderbird sped over with the help of his solar-energy, and caught her just before she hit the ground. Gambit tossed three playing cards at the machine that was producing the metallic arms, and it exploded, sending the three mutants flying back in a tangled mass of arms and legs.  
  
Amara Aquilla was having her own trouble fending off a horde of cyborg bees. The large, metallic wasp-like structures were as big as her head and racing for it angrily. Kitty Pryde smiled as she gracefully did a back-flip in her denim capris and matching pink tank-top (she refused to wear the "ugly" black, leather Danger Room uniforms) and rolled out of the way of the wild bees.  
  
Amara manifested a ball of magma in her fist and threw it viciously. The steaming lava slammed into the first bee's face, the metal twisting menacingly as it melted in the steaming ball of magma. Magma rolled to the side as a long, threatening-looking stinger reached for her. She threw her leg up and kicked the bee in the back before tossing another magma ball.  
  
Synch and another young, African-American mutant whose memory was perfect named Chip, jumped into the fight. Amara could feel Synch reach into her genetic being a take a sample of her mutant powers before tossing a crying magma oval into a renegade cyborg's face. Chip just jumped on top of one of the metallic bees and re-wired it with his perfect memory, causing it to hit the ground in a downward spiral.  
  
Colossus took out the remaining two bees with his two-by-two sized, armored biceps. Magma took a deep breath just before she was knocked hard in the back and sent flying into Chip. She looked up to see a tall, gangly- looking creature with no teeth glaring back at her. She cursed as it lifted its large, boulder-sized fist. It collapsed from behind just as its fist was coming down. As the large animal hit the ground, she could make out Thunderbird smiling back at her.  
  
He grabbed Magma by the waist and shot to the side just as a large ball of spikes swung past them.  
  
"Thanks", Amara said as he carried her toward a safe-looking spot.  
  
He smiled in his accomplishment, "No problem!"  
  
Danielle watched as the small, winged, silver balls raced toward her face. She jumped to the side and rolled into Psylocke and Kitty as they passed. They veered back toward her and she put her hand up, concentrating all of her energy into them.  
  
She opened her eyes-they were still coming! She cursed and began to concentrate again-she had to stop them before she slammed into her. She was tired and didn't think she could run anymore. These ball-like things had been chasing her for the whole session-spewing long, laser beams as they flew.  
  
Kitty dodged one and jumped to the side-right in the passageway of two swinging axes.  
  
"Kitty!" Psylocke warned, "Watch out!"  
  
Kitty smiled as the first axe phased through her as if she were a ghost. The process was repeated with the second axe. Danielle screamed at the oncoming balls of doom. Suddenly she felt a quick, sweeping wind grab her and yank her off her feet. She screamed as she was yanked through the air at unspeakable miles per hour. As soon as the ride stopped, she looked up into the smiling eyes of Sam Guthrie-Cannonball.  
  
Meanwhile, Psylocke was having her own dilemma as she attempted to shove her psychic kitana through a large, looming, shadow-like demon. He grabbed the glowing magenta sword with no pain and tossed it around angrily, throwing the poor girl hard into a nearby wall. She struggled to recuperate from the stars dancing through her eyes, but a kick to the stomach that sent her flying to the cold floor assured that wasn't going to happen.  
  
Psylocke gasped and struggled to kick, as her opponent sat on her. Her own weapon-her psychic kitana was in his hands, and he slowly lowered it down towards her neck with a leering smile on his face.  
  
Iceman whirled through a rainfall of mist as multiple guns shot at him. He sighed in relief as his impenetrable ice wall formed around him just as the guns began firing. He peered through the clear glass-like reflection only to see his fellow students in dangerous shape.  
  
Gambit, Thunderbird, Magma, and Rogue were being grappled by long, metallic-like vines. Rachel and Danielle were struggling to fend off an array of metal balls from themselves and Cannonball. Synch, Zee, Chip, and Jubilee were in a tangle of arms and legs as a large foot came stomping down upon them and Psylocke was pinned to the floor as her own blade came plunging down toward her as Kitty struggled to phase through two cuffs that held her into the metal wall. Just as Bobby was about to break out of his wall to help the others, everything disappeared in a loud WHOOSH and the room went barren.  
  
All that was left were the mutants, struggling to their feet and attempting to recuperate. Bobby helped Psylocke off the ground just before Professor X's voice filtered over the intercom, "Great run in the Danger Room today students."  
  
The doors opened on the other side of the renowned Danger Room and Beast stood next to Wolverine. The students slowly, painfully, proceeded out the exit as the two mentors offered towels to swipe at the sweat that was threatening their eyes.  
  
"Great job out there", Synch commented, elbowing Zee lightly in the shoulder.  
  
Zee smiled as she took a deep breath, slightly unzipping her uniform because it was getting extremely hot, "Thanks-you too."  
  
"Great job out there guys", Rachel observed as she wiped sweat from her face and hair.  
  
Thunderbird and Magma made their way toward the rec-room and collapsed on the sofa. Magma ran her fingers through her now damp black hair and studied the muscle-bound, yet skinny young Indian that lied next to her in his leather uniform with the X running across the chest.  
  
"Thanks", Amara muttered, reaching into his eyes, "for having my back in there."  
  
Neal smiled and stroked his incoming goatee, "Hey, it was nothing. A mutant in need is a mutant in. . .deed", he frowned at how stupid he sounded and looked away.  
  
Magma smiled and reached out her hand to touch his face. Before he could turn and notice, Cannonball and Colossus entered the room, and she brought her hand back quickly before anyone could notice. Cannonball and Colossus were laughing about something-including Rachel; they were the oldest students at the Academy.  
  
"Ooh", Colossus moaned sarcastically as he looked at Magma and Thunderbird sharing the couch, "Do I sense a little fire-on-fire action?"  
  
This got a loud guffaw out of Cannonball. Magma looked the buff, shirtless young man over with disgust.  
  
"Uh. . .no", Thunderbird murmured, barely audible.  
  
"Yeah, shut-up", Magma snapped, and with that, the two of them stomped to their feet and stormed their separate ways, leaving the two older boys to sit and laugh.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
Rachel took a deep breath as she let the hot, scalding water of the shower wash over her. She could have done MUCH better back in that Danger Room. She ran some of Kitty's coconut shampoo through her vibrant red hair and took another deep breath. Back in her own reality she was top dog- Mother Askani-here there was so much talent, that it was going to be hard to shine and come out on top.  
  
Well how can I? My father couldn't even believe I would exist and went on his leave of absence right when I show up.  
  
Don't cry, she ordered herself as the water brushed over her ivory skin. It was hard not to though-apparently her mother was dead, and her father was a creep. So far, Wolverine had been filling that void for her though-giving her a slight illusion that she belonged.  
  
Most of the others weren't very fond of her after the mall incident. She was twenty years old, and planned on going to college. She was years older than most of the others and she wasn't planning on being a full-time mutant. She actually only wanted to attend the Academy so that she could get a handle on her powers-she didn't want to lose control of them. That's one thing she hated.  
  
Losing control.  
  
And at that exact moment, Rachel Summers was glad she was in the shower, so that even she couldn't distinguish the tears from the scalding water rolling down her face.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"They're looking good", Storm commented, taking a seat in a swirling leather chair near Professor X. Nightcrawler had made himself comfortable next to her Beast and Wolverine.  
  
"I agree", Professor Xavier replied, "But there is always room for improvement. Make sure Bobby and the others get to work on the Danger Room- I'm going to be on Cerebro."  
  
After last year's Cerebro II incident, the X-Men had enlisted the help of Forge and an intelligent mutant that called herself Sage. They had rebuilt Cerebro so that it was almost as good as new-if not better. Professor X wheeled out of the Danger Room spectating booth and down the hall towards Cerebro's chamber.  
  
He slowly entered, the mechanical voice droning, "Welcome, Professor Charles Xavier."  
  
A tear almost trickled from his eye at the thought of Jean Grey. How much he knew she wanted to use Cerebro, but never had the confidence to do so. Her mind wasn't strong enough-but by this time her mind would be strong enough for Cerebro, and she could be doing this too. He smiled at the distant memories of his comrade, student, and friend.  
  
Professor Xavier grabbed the round, oval, helmet and put it over his bald head. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate. The dome-like room exploded into an orange-like glow and he began searching for Davis Cameron-the young time splitter he and Beast had been chasing only days ago.  
  
He found him on an abandoned beach in Tahiti sometime B.C. He smiled and moved on-Cameron would find his senses soon enough. That's when his mind went numb. This was quite surprising, because he was one of the strongest telepaths in the mutant universe-yet his mind was struggling- quivering. That's when the loud, abrupt picture jumped out of the other mutants going about their normal lives.  
  
It was Jean Grey.  
  
She was asleep-unconscious-and strapped to a table. He struggled to find out the location-for there was something looming in her. Something evil.  
  
He took a deep breath. Had this evil being he sensed kept her alive? Was there even a trace of Jean left? Before he could do anymore, Cerebro sparked and shut down. Professor X pounded his fist into his palm and did something he rarely ever did-cursed.  
  
They had to find Jean-because one thing was for certain.  
  
She wasn't going to be the same.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"Thanks a lot, Remy", snapped Danielle as she scrubbed viciously at the exterior of the blackbird.  
  
Inside, Thunderbird was vacuuming the carpet, and Gambit was washing the bottom engines of the large jet. Moonstar thought the punishment was a little harsh-six months of THIS? But, if Gambit wasn't so stupid, they wouldn't have to do it.  
  
Rogue and Bobby were cleaning the Danger Room. They had decided to split up-two of them would wash out the Danger Room while the other three would work on the Blackbird. Danielle snapped as she nearly slipped off the slick surface of the jet. Her dark, Cheyenne Indian hair fell from the neat braid it was held in and tumbled into her face. It was not a good idea to wear her uniform while washing an extremely large battleship.  
  
From below, Gambit said, "Hey, you used your powers too!"  
  
"Only because you left us in the mall with police officers getting on us for what you did!" Thunderbird yelled over the vacuum from inside the jet.  
  
On the rear engines, Gambit just rolled his eyes. He made sure that nobody was watching before he pulled out a five of diamonds. He smirked as he crammed it in between two of the winding pipes below the jet, then hopped off and began cleaning again.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
"We're BAAACK!" Magneto yelled triumphantly, as he entered his stone lair with his companions at his heels.  
  
Pyro scampered over like a lost puppy and Blob stuffed his mouth full of Pringles before bothering to even get off of the couch.  
  
"Glad to know we were missed", Mystique snapped, shouldering past the boys and toward her own, private sleeping quarters.  
  
Mister Sinister smiled as he crossed his arms, examining the place. Polaris and Beep stood beside Madelyn Pryor, tough glances being thrown toward the two young members of the Brotherhood. Pyro nodded to them like he was some kind of wonderful, then looked up at Magneto's stone-cold face.  
  
"Magneto!" he said, excitedly, "Those X-losers nearly blew up a mall today!"  
  
"What?" Mister Sinister snapped.  
  
"What?" came the same jaw-dropped reply of Magneto.  
  
"Some newcomer tried to blow up some of those H.S.A.M.F. dorks", Pyro continued, "And now I think that they're in BIG trouble!"  
  
Magneto laughed, the loud noise consuming the lair, "I guess some of those peacemakers actually do have spines!"  
  
Mister Sinister crossed his arms once more as thoughts of Jean Grey back at the lab danced through his head, "So, when do we first strike?"  
  
The only reply was an all-knowing smirk from Magneto.  
  
Soon, the stone lair was almost shaking from the joined, loud laughter of the New Brotherhood.  
  
XXXXXXXXXX  
  
The large, white van snaked through the encroaching trees toward the looming mansion before it. On the outside it looked like the perfect little prep school to send your son or daughter to, but the occupants in the van knew much better.  
  
At the wheel was Spike Jones. He wore a large, oversized white T- shirt with a pair of baggy Levi jeans. He barely looked like he was old enough to drive, but he was involved in much more than normal teenage activities. Spike was a part of the teenage New York chapter of the H.S.M.A.F.  
  
Beside him was Jordana Harp. She was slim, with blue eyes and long blond hair that reached the small of her back. If anything, the only reason he wanted to be the leader of this chapter was to impress her. Behind them, in the backseat, was the chapter's current leader, twenty-nine- year-old Brock Newman.  
  
Sitting beside him were the two cousins, Mike and Dufty. They had just been protesting at the mall one day-practicing their free speech mind you-and supporting the Mutant Registration Act. Mutants were scum-ugly, annoying, incompetent scum. They had followed the mutants home after the mall incident and found this place. Their sanctuary. Not for long-soon it would be revealed-whether they wanted it to be or not.  
  
Spike laughed as he pulled up near the front gate. They weren't going to do anything tonight. They were waiting to plan their next move- how to get the mutants back. This was the new victim-this beautiful mansion would soon be torn to shreds. He glanced over at the fading scar that bordered Jordana's cheek from the mall explosion.  
  
He would get his revenge-personally.  
  
"Okay, we know where the place is", Brock said, "Now let's get back to the meeting and report it-we'll think of something to do with the others."  
  
"One thing is for sure", Spike spat as he sped out onto the main road, "This place is going down."  
  
A/n: Okay, what's their problem? Will Professor X and the others find Jean? Will Cyclops ever escape Methane's clutches? What's up with Jean, anyway? Review, please! Thanks to all of you who did review! 


End file.
